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Easy Dulce de Leche Buttercream (2 ingredients ONLY!)

Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream – is exactly that! Super easy, 2-ingredient Russian Buttercream that uses only butter and dulce de leche. This is the most delicious frosting for cakes and cupcakes that is used throughout many European Cake Recipes.

Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream - is exactly that! 2 ingredient only, super easy, Russian Buttercream that uses only butter and dulce de leche. This is the most delicious frosting for cakes and cupcakes that is used throughout many European Cake Recipes.

*PIN this recipe to your DESSERT board.*

What is Russian Buttercream?

Russian Buttercream is a buttercream that is made with butter and some form of sweetened condensed milk. For one reason or another, almost every other Russian Cake recipe uses sweetened condensed milk in it, be it in the cake itself, or in the buttercream, so I’ve got to have a dedicated post just to this one delicious buttercream.

Types of Russian Buttercream

Since the sweetened condensed milk can be in the form of just the sweetened condensed milk you know right out of the can, or the cooked version of the sweetened condensed milk you know as dulce de leche, and so there’s two types of buttercream – one with the straight up sweetened condensed milk and the other one with the dulce de leche.

Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream - is exactly that! 2 ingredient only, super easy, Russian Buttercream that uses only butter and dulce de leche. This is the most delicious frosting for cakes and cupcakes that is used throughout many European Cake Recipes.

The best type of condensed milk to use for Dulce de Leche Buttercream

While you will be successful with pretty much any brand condensed milk, I have found that I get the best results when I use the cheapest brands. They tend to be thicker and I guess that makes a difference. Also, look for sweetened condensed milk that has 2 ingredients only – milk and sugar, as this recipe has been tested only with the authentic sweetened condensed milk.

That is it! Comment below and tell me if you’ve ever made dulce de leche at home! In our household, we’ve done it for ages, but I have found that not everyone knew about this tiny life hack. So, let me know!

Dulce de Leche Buttercream

How to Make Dulce de Leche:

Skip this step If you are starting with store-bought dulce de leche.
(start this several hours before you need to make the buttercream)*

  • Pour the content of 2 cans into two separate 8 oz jars and close them with lids. Place a tea towel on the bottom of a large pot, then add the jars on top. Pour enough water to cover the jars by about 2 inches. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low heat (simmer) for 1.5 hours from the boiling point. Maintain the water level above the jars at all times.
  • Remove from the water and allow to cool completely. Put the cans into a full pot of cold water to speed up the process.

How to make Dulce de Leche in Instant Pot

  • Pour the contents of 2 cans out into two separate 8 oz jars and close them with lids.
  • Place the trivet on the bottom of the Pressure Cooker and add the jars with sweetened condensed milk on top.
  • Pour enough water to cover by at least 1 inch.
  • Close the lid and turn the valve to “seal”. Cook on “High”, on “Manual” for 60 minutes. Then, quick release the steam. Remove jars out of the water and allow to cool to room temperature.

How to make Dulce de Leche Buttercream

  • Start with room temperature butter. For this, remove butter out of the fridge for about 3 hours.
  • Add the butter to the mixer bowl and whip for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides several times throughout. Then add cooled to room temperature dulce de leche in two additions, minimally whipping after each.

Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream - is exactly that! 2 ingredient only, super easy, Russian Buttercream that uses only butter and dulce de leche. This is the most delicious frosting for cakes and cupcakes that is used throughout many European Cake Recipes.

  • If you would like to make a fluffier version of the Dulce de Leche buttercream, you can carefully fold in 8 to 16 oz of whipped topping (like Cool Whip). I prefer the buttercream with the whipped topping as it helps keep the buttercream soft, even when refrigerated. Some of my family members though, prefer it without the whipped topping. Make it both ways and decide which way you prefer better.

Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream - is exactly that! 2 ingredient only, super easy, Russian Buttercream that uses only butter and dulce de leche. This is the most delicious frosting for cakes and cupcakes that is used throughout many European Cake Recipes.

For best results, use the buttercream right away. Otherwise, refrigerate or freeze covered until ready to use. Bring back to room temperature before using.

Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream - is exactly that! 2 ingredient only, super easy, Russian Buttercream that uses only butter and dulce de leche. This is the most delicious frosting for cakes and cupcakes that is used throughout many European Cake Recipes.

Here’s a list of cakes that use this delicious Easy Dulce de Leche Buttercream:

Dulce de Leche Buttercream

Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream
4.81 from 26 votes
Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream - is exactly that! Super easy, Russian Buttercream that uses only butter and dulce de leche. This is the most delicious frosting for cakes and cupcakes that is used throughout many European Cake Recipes.
Author: Marina | Let the Baking Begin
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian
Keyword: dulce de leche buttercream
Calories: 394 kcal
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients

Ingredients for Dulce de Leche Buttercream

  • 16 oz butter, unsalted, room temperature (1 stick butter = 4 oz)
  • 28 oz sweetened condensed milk or dulce de leche (1 can = 14 oz)
  • 8-16 oz Whipped Topping (Optional)

Instructions

How to Make Dulce de Leche: *Disclaimer* Skip this step If you are starting with store-bought dulce de leche.

  1. (start this several hours before you need to make the buttercream)*
  2. Pour the content of 2 cans into two separate 8 oz jars and close them with lids. Place a tea towel on the bottom of a large pot, then add the jars on top. Pour enough water to cover the jars by about 2 inches. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low heat (simmer) for 1.5 hours from the boiling point. Maintain the water level above the jars at all times.
  3. Remove from the water and allow to cool completely. Put the cans into a full pot of cold water to speed up the process.

How to make Dulce de Leche in Instant Pot

  1. Pour the contents of 2 cans out into two separate 8 oz jars and close them with lids.
  2. Place the trivet on the bottom of the Pressure Cooker and add the jars with sweetened condensed milk on top. Pour enough water to cover by at least 1 inch. Close the lid and turn the valve to "seal".

  3. Cook on "High", on "Manual" for 60 minutes. Then, quick release the steam. Remove jars out of the water and allow to cool to room temperature.

How to make Dulce de Leche Buttercream

  1. Start with room temperature butter. For this, remove butter out of the fridge for about 3 hours.
  2. Add the butter to the mixer bowl and whip for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides several times throughout. Then add cooled to room temperature dulce de leche in two additions, minimally whipping after each.
  3. Carefully fold in 8 to 16 oz of whipped topping (like Cool Whip), if using. 

Recipe Notes

For best results, use the buttercream right away. Otherwise, refrigerate covered until ready to use. Bring back to room temperature before using.

Nutrition Facts
Dulce de Leche Buttercream
Amount Per Serving
Calories 394 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Cholesterol 78mg26%
Sodium 275mg12%
Potassium 205mg6%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Sugar 30g33%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 850IU17%
Vitamin C 1.3mg2%
Calcium 158mg16%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Easy Dulce De Leche Buttercream - is exactly that! 2 ingredient only, super easy, Russian Buttercream that uses only butter and dulce de leche. This is the most delicious frosting for cakes and cupcakes that is used throughout many European Cake Recipes.

Marina | Let the Baking Begin

Welcome to Let the Baking Begin! I'm Marina and my love and passion for eating only the most delicious foods drive me to share that love here on Let the Baking Begin (since 2009). With over 20 years of experience in the kitchen, you know the recipes are tested and retested until perfect. I'm so happy to have you here. Enjoy! Read more...

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  • Josie

    Love the recipe

    · Reply
  • Adriana

    I want to try this frosting out for my birthday cake! If adding the Cool Whip, does it have to be cold from the fridge or should I let it set to room temperature first? Thanks!

    · Reply
  • Desiree

    How much frosting do you get out of one batch without adding cool whip? It says 16 servings but there’s no serving size, so it’s difficult to guess. I’m planning to use this to top individual brownies for a party, so I’m trying to gauge how many batches I need to make=)

    · Reply
  • Just an FYI: empty your cans of sweetened condensed milk into a 9×13 pan & bake at 350° for about 75 to 90 minutes for your dulce de leche. It’s really nice.

    · Reply
  • Kojak

    I make Dulce de Leche in my Sous Vide. 185 °F for 12 hours. I know it can be done faster in a pressure cooker, but I found the Sous Vide makes it silky.

    I buy the Costco 6 pack that is shrink-wrapped. The shrink-wrapped cans are placed in a large plastic bag in the water bath container. 12 hours later there is all that deliciousness. Since the cans were never opened, they remain shelf-stable for several months. I don’t know how long it is good for once the can is opened. I think because it has a shelf life of hours rather than days. At least in my house, that is the case.

    The plastic bag is used because I do not want to risk the labels coming off the can and fouling the Sous Vide machine.

    I made your recipe the other day and was well pleased. I was wondering if anyone ever tried making a 2 ingredient frosting, swapping out the butter for cream cheese?

    · Reply
  • Marjorie L Armstrong

    I cut this recipe in half for my yellow, butter sheet cake. So, two 4oz sticks of butter, whipped for 5 min., then added half a can of dulce du leche, whipped it in, then the rest of the dulce du leche. I tasted it and it was good. But, too buttery (never thought I’d say that) and not sweet enough. So, I whipped in about a cup of powdered sugar. That was more like it. Then, I remembered the marshmallow fluff in my pantry. I whipped two big scoops (probably 6oz) into my frosting. That was the ticket! Sweet enough and very creamy. But, I lost a bit of the caramel flavor. So, after frosting my cake, I made a caramel glaze which I drizzled over the cake.

    · Reply
  • Kim

    Hi! Do you have to refrigerate the cake after using this frosting or can you leave it on the counter?

    · Reply
  • Peisia

    Hello Marina, great recipe! I am making a banoffee cake for my husbands birthday and will this buttercream work as icing for the cake?

    · Reply
  • Annalise

    I would love to try this recipe with COCONUT sweetened condensed milk! and vegan butter. Thanks!

    · Reply
  • Donna

    Hi, can you tell me if the recipe would work as well if I ony made half?

    · Reply
  • Leah

    I’m not a math major or anything, but how do you put 14 oz. of sweetened condensed milk in an 8 oz. jar?

    · Reply
    • Haha, that’s a good question.
      Here’s an example that can help.

      If you fill an 8 oz (by volume) can with cotton balls, it will be lighter than 8 oz, right?
      But if you were to fill an 8 oz can (by volume) with lead, it will be heavier than 8 oz.
      Same here, the condensed milk is probably a dense product, therefor it weighs weighs more per square inch, and thus weighs more than it’s volume equivalent.

      · Reply
  • Carol Rock

    Haven’t made it yet but will.

    · Reply
  • Natasha Noronha

    Will this hold up under fondant?

    · Reply
  • Megan

    Can’t wait to try this. Ive made the caramel in the can. You don’t need to pour it into anything else. Just place the can in a pot and cover with water by an inch and simmer for 3hrs. I saw you can make it the same way but in a crock pot.

    · Reply
    • Hi Megan,
      Thank you for your feedback!
      we’ve made it the way you describe for the first 20 years, but then we found out that the chemicals from the can leach into the condensed milk so now we do it by pouring the condensed milk into a glass jar.

      · Reply
  • Sylvie

    Hi there, do you have an idea how many cupcakes this will cover if you do add the cool whip? Or was 16 including it? Thanks so much.

    · Reply
  • sylvia

    I’m trying this recipe for the first time. Your youtube said 1:1 ratio of butter to dulce de leche. It also gave mixing time and speed. I cannot find that youtube right now. Please update your email website to reflect these two items. thank you.

    · Reply
  • Juliya

    Hello, if adding the Cool Whip, should it be cold from the fridge or at room temperature? Thank you for sharing this recipe, it looks amazing!

    · Reply
  • susan

    Dulce de Leche is an Argentine creation, in other Southamerican Countries is called Manjar Blanco, My grandmother had a big farm with two milkeries, in summer when she had most of her grandchildren spending their holidays with her she made in this emormous pot of 10ltrs. Dulce de Leche, the best I have ate in my life.
    The recipe was the following:
    Full milk
    Sugar
    Baking soda
    Vainilla sheath.
    So if you want to make it easy open the condensed milk tins (I understand you said two) add 10 drops of vainilla essense, and 3/4 of teaspoon of baking soda, pot this in a closed and sterilized jar, the strait to the fast cooker the necessary time.
    H?ope this will help you to make it tastier still.

    · Reply
  • Kare

    Do you mean whipped heavy cream or a “cool whip” type topping to add to the Dulce de leche?

    · Reply
    • Hi Kare, I mean “cool whip”. I have found that when I added the actual whipped cream, it tended to become heavy and wheep, not always, but sometimes. So in this recipe, I would recommend using the cool whip.

      · Reply

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