A few weeks ago i removed the recent downloads icon from my dock on accident (blue folder with an arrow and when you click it, it opens a list of your most recent, and when you start a download in safari it shows the file drop down to the folder).
This folder is not the same as downloads, nor the same as recents. I checked the trash, and the folder is not there. For the time being i have added downloads to my dock, but that just shows everything in my downloads. (Also since the folder has been gone when i download something safari shows the file go to the downloads icon on safari instead of down to the dock)