Apologies with Dulce de Leche-filled Brownies & Cupcakes

I missed yesterdays NaBloPoMo. Actually, I missed Friday, but the post I put up Saturday morning I'd started Friday, so I figured eh. Tsk tsk. But you know what? I'll make up for it with brownies and cupcakes!

The brownies are crazy rich. Crazy. I guess that's what you get when you put chocolate, peanutbutter and dulce de leche in the same baking pan, but don't say I didn't warn you. They're the kind of confection that could almost substitute expensive filled chocolates. In my case, anyways, seeing I'm not big on filled chocolates - in fact, I'd rather eat brownies than filled chocolate any day. I should note that I'm definitely a lover of a fudgy brownie (as this one is - look at this) - no cake-crumbly style for me here. Rich and decadent, these are, and cut into tiny squares, put on a pretty platter and served with coffee or tea - or a tall glass of milk, they'll be fit for royalty. Or people who dig heavy brownies, at least.

The idea came from David Lebovitz brownie I made a while ago. The brownie was unbelievably good, but I did find the brownie-part of it just a bit to cocoa-y and cakey for my taste. So when I was trying it out again, I used my go-to brownie recipe (which I just realized I've never posted here - so that's one more post to do), mixed half the batter with a couple spoonfuls (about half a cup, total) of smooth peanutbutter and then dropped alternate spoonfuls of peanutbutter-batter, regular batter and dulce de leche (I think just short of half a cup total here as well) in the brownie pan. Suh-weet. Very.

The cupcake, oh, the cupcake. Yes, we are behind regarding the cupcake craze here in Denmark - we're just getting started. These, I suggested as a combo back in April 2006, but I never think I nailed it proper. My cousin and I took up the challenge again back in May this year. Who else to provide a basic chocolate cupcake recipe with enough taste to withstand the sweetness of the dulce de leche and the frosting than Chockylit from (the now sadly closed) Cupcake Bakeshop. This was it, dulce de leche came straight from the boiled can, and the cream cheese frosting was as Cheryl directs here. Oh boy. As with the brownie, you only eat one of these in one sitting. Until you find yourself digging into the next one.

I told you're there could never be too many posts on brownies (or cupcakes, I suppose ;))