Spiked Eggnog Cupcakes

A great boozy treat for your holiday cocktail party!  Even if you can’t stand eggnog, you will love these cupcakes!  Not too sweet.  Moist.  Just the right amount of spices and bourbon.  Perfect for an easy to make, after-work dessert that is a true crowd pleaser.

I rarely, if ever, bake after work.  If you hadn’t noticed, we have “day jobs.”  So, our baking and creating time is limited, which is why you don’t see us posting multiple times in any given week.  But, we hope that we bring you delicious and consistently yummy treats that incorporate just that “right” amount of booze, without going overboard.  

For example: Ever had rum cake that was just TOO rummy?  I have, and it really soured me at a very young age to the wonders of booze and baking.  That’s really a large part of this journey on our blog--figuring out the right combinations of booze and other ingredients...It's not as easy as you might think...But a challenge (and adventure) we just couldn't pass up! 

Everyone at my holiday luncheon and white elephant gift exchange loved these…I even gave a lovely to an “eggnog skeptic.”  Her comment, “I was really skeptical, but it was great!”

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Okay, so on to these lovelies…No step-by-step on these today.  I apologize, but refer you back to paragraph 2 noting that these were crafted after work and dinner last night.   But, as you have come to expect you can find lots and lots of cupcake how-to photos here if you’re at all curious…Like, what does “beat until light and fluffy” really look like?  You can find it here or here.  Here, even.

I did tweak my buttercream frosting this time, completely unplanned and on a total whim.  And, I think it was less sweet, a bit more-creamy and had a lovely finish.  I hope you think so too!

Spiked Eggnog Cupcakes (with Bourbon and Eggnog Buttercream)
Makes 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

2 cups plus 1 tablespoons flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly ground if possible)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean extract or 2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cups eggnog (full fat)

1/3 cup Jim Beam or any Bourbon

Eggnog Buttercream (enough for 24 cupcakes)

1 cup salted butter, room temp (still slightly firm)

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup Pennsylvania Dutch Eggnog** (or 2 tbsp eggnog and 2 tbsp bourbon)

scant 1/8 tsp nutmeg

4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (about a pound)

2-3 tbsp corn syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. 

2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. 

4. Beat in the vanilla.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition.

5. On low speed, slowly add the flour and eggnog mixtures: alternating, beginning and ending with the flour (3 parts flour, 2 parts eggnog and bourbon).  Beat until just combined.  Finish by hand.

6. Fill each lined cup about 2/3 full (I use a #12 scoop).  

7. Bake for 17-18 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean.

8. Cool in the pan for no longer than 5 minutes and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream
1. Cream the butter for 30 seconds on medium speed in a stand mixer. 
2. Add the liquids and nutmeg.  Slowly increase the speed to medium until you have almost an emulsion (not too long or the butter will get too warm). 
3. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated.  Stop and scrape the bowl as needed. Once incorporated, beat on medium for 30 seconds. 
4. Adjust consistency by adding corn syrup in 1 tbsp increments, beating on medium for 30 seconds after each addition. 
5. Beat on medium high for 1 minute.  Frost or pipe onto cupcakes as desired.  I highly recommend sprinkles, of course!

Enjoy these with someone you love...Even if they may be an eggnog skeptic! 

Ellen

**Pennsylvania Dutch Eggnog

Other recipes using eggnog that you will enjoy...
Cranberry~Eggnog Scones by My Mother's Apron Strings
Eggnog Pie by Crazy for Crust
Eggnog Fudge by Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate
Baltimore Egg Nogg by Post Prohibition
Frosted Eggnog Spice Bars with Gingersnap Streusel by The Domestic Rebel