Deliciously moist and fluffy pear cupcakes filled with rich dulce de leche and topped with a silky crown of dulce de leche Swiss meringue buttercream!
When it comes to fall flavors, most people think of pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, and maple. However, I feel like there’s one distinctively fall flavor that doesn’t get quite enough attention…PEAR.
Sure, the word “pear” might not spark a ton of inspiration since it doesn’t make the best pies like apple and pumpkin do. Nonetheless, the possibilities for this highly underrated fruit are FAR from limited. As a matter of fact, one of my most popular recipes is my Fresh Pear Cake With Whipped Brown Sugar Buttercream. And for good reason too! The fresh pears provide impeccable flavor and superior moisture, making every single bite just as heavenly as the first.
So because I’ve been super slacking on my share of pear recipes, I decided it was finally time to give this fruit the attention it so rightfully deserves…
These cupcakes are definitely NOT your ordinary pear cupcakes. These are Pear Dulce De Leche Cupcakes.
We all know that apples pair so incredibly well with caramel, so it should come as no surprise that pears and dulce de leche are a match made in heaven. Thanks to fresh juicy pears, these cupcakes are supremely moist, yet still light and pillowy. Moreover, each cupcake contains a creamy core of GLORIOUS dulce de leche. And to top it all off, a melt-in-your-mouth crown of dulce de leche Swiss meringue buttercream! Folks, these cupcakes ain’t for the faint of heart.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a huge fan of chunks of fruit in my cake when it comes to stone fruits like apples and pears.So for these cupcakes, I pureed the pears before adding them to the batter. I used Bartlett pears, which tend to be on the soft and juicy side. Anjou and Comice pears are also great options! If you’re using a crisper pear like Bosc, Seckel, or Concorde, you might want to cook the pears with 1-2 tablespoons of water for a few minutes to soften them before pureeing.
Just to clarify, this isNOTa spice cake. The one and ONLY spice I added tothese cupcakes is cinnamon. Nonutmeg, no allspice, and no cloves! Just good ol’ cinnamon is all ya need to enhance the flavor of the delicious pears.
Once baked and cooled, these cupcakes are ready to fill! Using a knife or apple corer, carve out a hole in the center of each cupcake. Make sure not to carve to close to the bottom. You only need to go about halfway down. Spoon in 1-2 teaspoons of dulce de leche, then use the back of the spoon to push it in and create a flat surface. By the time you’re done filling each cupcake, you should have plenty leftover for the buttercream.
Since these cupcakes are filled, I decided to top themoff with a buttercream that’s less sweet than your traditional American buttercream. Swiss meringue buttercream, orSMB, is not only silkier in texture, but much less sweet due to the fact thatit contains about a quarter of the amount of sugar that’s added to American buttercream. There’s a little more work and skill involved, however, it’s so worth it for these cupcakes.
All you have to do is combine some egg whites, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and place it over a pot of simmering water. Allow this mixture to warm slowly until it reaches 150-160ºF on a thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, just check to make sure that the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is heated through. This takes about 3-4 minutes.
Next, remove the bowl from the heat, and whip up the egg whites until cooled and fluffy. You want the mixture to be about room temperature, so that the butter doesn’t melt on contact. Speaking of, make sure that your butter is completely softened to room temperature. Cold butter will not blend well with the whipped egg whites, and you’ll just end up with a sticky, runny mess in the end.
You’ll also want to make sure to cut your butter into pieces since you’ll be adding them slowly to the egg whites. I just sliced my butter into tablespoon-sized squares. As you’re adding the butter to the egg white mixture, you might notice that it looks a little curdled–don’t panic! This is totally normal, and I promise you that it’ll eventually smooth out and become super satiny as you continue beating.
If your SMB still looks curdled no matter how long you’ve beaten it, simply remove a couple of tablespoons of the curdled frosting and place it into a small microwaveable bowl. Heat it in the microwave until it’s completely melted, then add it back into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on, and beat everything until it’s smooth. If it still looks curdled, just keep repeating this reheating technique a tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together.
If the buttercream looks soupy and runny, chill the bowl of frosting in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Take it out, then beat the mixture until smooth and satiny.
After a splash of vanilla is added to your satiny smooth Swiss meringue buttercream, it’s time to add the star ingredient–dulce de leche!I ended up adding 6 Tablespoons, and I still had a little leftover. However, you’re free to add as much or as little as you desire!
What I love about this buttercream is that it pipes BEAUTIFULLY, and it melts instantly once it hits your tongue.The sweetness is more subtle, and the texture is incredibly smooth and silky. Not to mention, this SMB is infused with the buttery toffee-like flavor of dulce de leche.
To say that these cupcakes were a hit with my family would be an understatement. The cake is incredibly moist and the fresh flavor of the pears really comes through. The buttercream is supremely satiny and the dulce de leche adds extra decadence to this undeniably heavenly cupcake!
Deliciously moist and fluffy pear cupcakes filled with rich dulce de leche and topped with a silky crown of dulce de leche Swiss meringue buttercream!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 18 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 48 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 14 Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pear Cupcakes:
- 3 ¾ teaspoons lemon juice, divided
- ¾ cup milk
- 6 ounces peeled and sliced pears (about 2 medium pears)
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
- Dash of ground cloves
- Dash of ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dulce De Leche Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, sliced into 16 pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 (13.4 oz) can Dulce De Leche, divided
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Place 2 and 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add enough milk to the measuring cup to equal 3/4 cup; let sit for a few minutes.
Puree the pears in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.*
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt together; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together until combined. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir in the pear pureeand remaining 1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice.
With mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk mixture until just combined; do not overmix.
Pour batter intocupcake liners, about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with few crumbs attached. Allow cupcakes to cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Buttercream:
Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and place the bowl over a simmering pot of water. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until sugar is dissolved and the temperature registers 150-160°F on a candy thermometer, about 3 minutes.
Secure whisk attachment onto stand mixer, and beat the egg white mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form. It should be fluffy and cooled to room temperature. Add the butter, one piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. If the mixture looks curdled, that’s totally normal–just keep beating until it becomes smooth and satiny.**
Add the vanilla and 6 Tablespoons of the dulce de leche; beat until fully incorporated.
Transfer buttercream to a piping bag, fitted with a star tip.***
To Assemble:
Using a sharp knife, carve a hole into the center of each cupcake, about halfway deep. Remove cake piece and fill hole with 1-2 teaspoons of dulce de leche.Pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake. Top with sprinkles, if desired.
Notes
*I used Bartlett pears, which tend to be on the soft and juicy side. Anjou and Comice pears are also great options! If you’re using a crisper pear like Bosc, Seckel, or Concorde, you might want to cook the pears with a couple of tablespoons of water for a few minutes to soften them a little.
**If you find that your SMB still looks curdled no matter how long you’ve beaten it, simply remove a couple of tablespoons of the curdled frosting and place it into a small microwaveable bowl. Heat it in the microwave until it’s completely melted, then add it back into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on, and beat everything until it’s smooth. If it still looks curdled, just keep repeating this reheating technique a tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together.If the buttercream looks soupy and runny, chill the bowl of frosting in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Take it out, then beat the mixture until smooth and satiny.
***I used Wilton's 1M tip.
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