12 Types Of Boozy Cupcakes You May Not Have Heard Of
Making wine pie is easy. Well, at least that's according to a satirical viral TikTok video: In a hilarious three-minute reel (via YouTube), content creator @TheAdleyShow tells her viewers to dump a bottle of wine into a raw pie shell, toss in a few eggs, plop in a clump or two of flour, and avoid mixing at all costs. The thought of reproducing this wine pie recipe may elicit a laugh or two. After all, @TheAdleyShow's raw egg and wine soup isn't exactly appetizing or even edible. Nonetheless, it does hit the mark by pointing out the growing trend toward boozy desserts.
Bloomberg reports that consumers are pushing for more and more alcohol-infused treats, leading food start-ups to rush to fill the increasing demand. State laws have also had to adjust to get with the times. According to Axios, both New York and California have had to codify how much alcohol is permitted in a legal treat, choosing to cap the limit at 5%. Meanwhile, in states like Missouri, regulators have opted for a more laissez-faire approach to boozy desserts. As of December 2022, consumers in Missouri can purchase ice cream with an 18% alcohol content.
While start-up-made boozy desserts can be fine, there's nothing quite like a homemade treat, especially if it comes with that tangy alcoholic flavor that so many people love. For a homemade version of today's alcoholic dessert craze, try out some boozy cupcake recipes.
1. Passion fruit Bailey's cupcakes
It doesn't take much to imagine why a sweet cup or two of Bailey's would work well in a dessert recipe. Bailey's was invented in 1973; the first cup took just 45 minutes to make, and sugar was a key ingredient (as per Irish Times).
The concept of the drink originally came from the creators' desire to blend together two distinctly Irish flavors: Whiskey and cream. When this combination proved to be a bit lacking, the original inventors added sweetened chocolate powder, thus creating a more sugary version of this winter classic.
Since Bailey's is, in fact, so sweet that it is a natural addition to a boozy cupcake recipe. In this Bailey's chocolate chip passion fruit cupcake recipe, the Irish cream adds an extra layer of sweetness to the frosting. However, the role that Bailey's can play in your baked goods is actually much more interesting than a simple source of sugar. One of the keys to this special Irish liquor is that the dairy makes it taste stronger than it actually is.
As Bailey's creator, David Gluckman, writes in the Irish Times, the cream actually gives the spirit more potency. Because of this, Bailey's and passion fruit cupcakes are perfect for folks who really like the taste of booze. When cooking with Bailey's, your cupcakes will be especially prone to absorbing that sharp whiskey flavor.
2. Double-date whiskey cupcakes
If Irish cream cupcakes don't sound strong enough, you may want to try adding whiskey to your cupcakes. But beware! Mixing whiskey into baked goods is still a controversial practice in some circles. And it makes sense since not everyone supports pouring whiskey into the batter instead of, say, your mouth. Lizzie Enfield, writing for The Guardian, asserts that some people may consider it sacrilege to cook with whiskey. Indeed, many may hesitate before pouring whiskey into a cooking pan.
According to Scottish chef Mark Greenaway, adding whiskey to food can be a rewarding endeavor that adds a nice twist to traditional recipes. For a fun way to incorporate this special liquor into your baking, try making these double-date whiskey cupcakes. This easy, sixty-minute recipe combines rye whiskey and butterscotch to make a powerfully-flavored frosting that's perfect for colder weather.
Ingredients like walnuts, oat flour, and pumpkin spice create a deep flavor that matches the intensity of the whiskey. Meanwhile, the naturally thick texture of the dates makes this boozy cupcake recipe feel extra soft and chewy.
3. Tequila lime pound cupcakes with vanilla glaze
Tequila might seem like it belongs inside a salt-rimmed glass rather than a sweet cupcake. However, if one thing is true about tequila, it's that people are constantly inventing new ways to use it. This unique Mexican liquor has been evolving for centuries, dating as far back as 300 A.D.
According to Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, the Aztecs developed an early version of tequila called "pulque," which they used both as a fertility drug and a part of their religious sacrifices.
In the late 18th century, modern tequila was finally created and commercialized by the Cuervo family. And, as per Texas Monthly, the creativity of Mexican bartenders in the 1900s ushered in a wave of tequila drinks. The iconic margarita, for example, was invented by Pancho Morales in 1942.
Because of its ever-changing history, tequila is the perfect liquor to use in exciting new recipes. This tequila lime pound cake recipe, for one, makes excellent cupcakes, and it is perfect to use with a group that truly loves the taste of liquor.
Unlike some boozy cupcake recipes, which exclusively add spirits to the frosting, this recipe calls for adding tequila directly into the cake batter. This means that there's no avoiding the taste of tequila. For a bit of extra added flair, serve these cupcakes in sugar-rimmed margarita glasses with a thick lime slice on the side.
4. Guinness beer cupcakes
Beer might not conjure images of dessert, yet it has been used as a source of nutrition for centuries. According to a report by the Cambridge Independent, researchers at Anglia Ruskin University found that beer was historically a pillar of the Irish diet.
The researchers found that in the 1500s, the Irish people relied on beer as an essential source of energy for their bodies. At the time, a single pint of beer had a caloric value of 400-500 calories, and domestic laborers consumed as many as eight pints of beer per day. This means that the medieval Irish drank a daily rate of up to 4,000 calories worth of beer, placing their consumption at the heart of their diet.
In the modern era, you can enjoy some delicious Irish beers, like Guinness, in pint form. Alternatively, however, you can add some dark beer to your dessert recipes to add some extra flavor. This delicious Guinness cake recipe can easily be adapted to make a thick batch of boozy cupcakes.
The reason that this recipe works so well is that the dark Guinness beer brings a sense of quasi-chocolatey fullness to the cupcakes' flavor. It's also a great choice for people who don't want to taste just one kind of booze: The filling for these cupcakes also involves a tablespoon of whiskey.
5. Apple cider magic cupcakes
Apple cider desserts have been a huge deal in New England for hundreds of years. According to a report by Washington State University, colonists began organizing apple orchards on the East coast as far back as 1620. Because these European Americans lacked the technology to purify water, they relied on a mildly alcoholic version of apple cider as their primary form of hydration.
Eventually, as reported by TastingTable, they began to use apples in a number of other recipes. For example, when faced with a surplus of animal fat, the colonists began to use lard to fry apples and dough, creating the first apple cider donuts. Unfortunately, while this dessert is certainly tasty, it should be noted that the European Americans who came to New England in the 1600s were also responsible for several massacres against the Pequot people, among others (via History).
Although the apple cider donut continues to be a New England favorite, there are plenty of other ways to incorporate cider into sweet treats. For a modern spin on the old-timey recipe, try making apple cider cupcakes. This sixty-minute recipe offers one of the quickest ways to make delicious boozy cupcakes.
Start by cooking down your apple cider until it turns into a thick reduction. At the very end of the recipe, you will add fresh whipped cream along with copious amounts of apple cider reduction to the top of your cupcakes. For a garnish, don't be afraid to add chopped apples.
6. Ginger molasses rum cupcakes
It's no secret that rum makes an excellent addition to dessert. Thanks to the popularity of treats like bananas foster or rum raisin ice cream, most cooks don't hesitate to add a dollop of this Caribbean liquor to their favorite sweets. Most basic cupcake recipes could benefit from a teaspoon or two of rum. However, one of the yummiest boozy cupcake recipes out there comes from the classic Bahamian rum cake.
The tradition of rum cake has a long history in the Bahamas, dating back to the brutality of the British rum trade. As noted by Vintage Culture, the Bahamian people suffered greatly during this time. Nonetheless, common civilians were able to use their culinary genius to produce this dessert. Bahamian cooks made many adjustments to the British fruitcake recipe to create this rich and flavorful cake. Thus, Vintage Culture notes that many Bahamians view this recipe as a triumph over colonialism's dark legacy.
To make this iconic dessert at home, try this ginger molasses rum cake recipe. Here, the heavy combination of the molasses with the strength of the rum creates a uniquely robust flavor. If you're hoping to make a cupcake version of this boozy recipe, you can add some extra flavor by adding homemade rum fruits. Soak two cups of chopped dried fruit in a cup of rum for at least an hour, then add them to the top of your cupcakes as a garnish.
7. Kransekake cupcakes
If you're looking for a boozy cupcake recipe that actually involves drinking, you may want to try making miniature kransekakes. A kransekake, or "wreath cake," is a Scandinavian dessert made by stacking various circle-shaped cakes on top of each other. According to Vogue Scandinavia, this is not an easy recipe to tackle, as it requires a lot of precision to pull off. Nonetheless, the result is totally worth it since you can actually hide a bottle of booze inside your creation.
To make your kransekake cupcakes, start by preparing the dough. As per TastingTable, the dough consists of a combination of egg whites, ground almonds, and powdered sugar. Once the dough is ready, you should bake it inside a series of molds shaped like different-sized rings. Here, the important thing is to select rings that are small enough to make a cupcake-sized tower. The sizes of the rings should also increase incrementally so that you can stack the circular cakes into a shape that resembles a cone.
While making kransekake cupcakes is definitely labor-intensive, the final product can be used as a party favor, or even a gift. Instead of hiding a full bottle of champagne inside the cake, as is traditional in Scandinavia, you can hide miniature shot bottles. If you are having trouble finding a good brand of booze in a small enough bottle, you can go the extra mile and make your own coffee liquor. The result will be a truly surprising edible present.
8. Raspberry and champagne cupcakes
Champagne may seem too chic to throw into your cake batter. However, a bottle of bubbly can do wonders for a batch of boozy cupcakes. In fact, the champagne cake has become a fun, flirty staple of Instagram-era romance. According to Wedding Ideas Mag, "Love Island" couple Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen included a champagne layer in their seven-layer wedding cake. Meanwhile, Brides covered an anti-wedding marriage event that featured a strawberry champagne cake.
If you're looking to bring a bit of this light-hearted sense of celebration into your own life, try making a version of this raspberry and champagne layer cake. To adjust the recipe to a cupcake version, be sure to use smaller cake tins. And don't hesitate to get creative. The original boozy cupcake recipe calls for 2 cups of champagne and 2 tablespoons of raspberry liqueur.
However, switching out the traditional bubbly for a healthy dose of California pink champagne can add a level of old-film glamor to your creation. According to Edible San Luis Obispo, pink champagne became popular with movie stars during the 1960s Hollywood Renaissance. Soon, the ingredient worked its way into the Madonna Inn pink champagne cake, which quickly became a California staple. Alternatively, you can make a cheaper version of this delicious dessert with Prosecco or Cava.
9. Chocolate whiskey cupcakes
Sometimes, it's best to stick to the basics. And what better way to do that than combine two of the most popular flavors: Chocolate and whiskey? According to Flaviar Times, chocolate and whiskey combine well, mostly because both are incredibly rich in flavor. An added bonus is that neither one of the two guilty pleasures involves a long, convoluted list of ingredients, making them easy to pair.
Flavior suggests nibbling on a piece of chocolate while imbibing in some high-quality whiskey; however, some people might find this combination too powerful. A less aggressive way to enjoy these unique flavors is by combining them in a simple and delicious boozy cupcake creation.
We recommend making chocolate whiskey cupcakes, complete with whiskey-soaked raisins and a whiskey sauce. This recipe allows you to experience some of the complexity of a whiskey flavor without forcing you to encounter the harshness of pure liquor. When considering what kind of chocolate to add to your batter, you might opt for higher-quality dark chocolate. The reason for this is that milk chocolate will tend to cut whiskey's tangy taste, while dark chocolate will accentuate it.
10. Orange liqueur and chocolate fudge cupcakes
Orange and chocolate may seem like the perfect pairing. However, the two flavors likely didn't meet for the first time until the 1500s. Although this might sound odd, the reason is that orange trees originally grew in the region around Northeastern India and Southern China, while the cacao seeds came from South America. Due to Asia's relative proximity to Europe, oranges started to make their way around global trade routes in the 1300s (as per Fruit Stand).
Meanwhile, however, Spain didn't start actively importing chocolate until the late 1500s, according to History. As a result, the two flavors probably didn't come together until Spanish royalty started drinking a choco-orange water infusion (per Lindt).
These days, oranges and chocolate make a popular pairing in several formats, including this boozy orange liqueur and chocolate fudge cake recipe. This recipe simply entails adding orange juice and an orange liqueur, like Cointreau, to your basic white cake recipe. To add that rich chocolatey flavor to your creation, make a batch of fudge frosting and lather it all over your cupcakes. As a garnish, add some orange liqueur-soaked citrus slices to the top of your creation.
11. Chocolate layer mousse cupcakes with cognac
Cognac may not be the most popular drink in the United States, but Europeans have been enjoying this liquor for ages. The tradition of drinking cognac began in the 1500s when the Dutch arrived in France (via Cognac Show).
The Dutch fell in love with the delightful French wines, yet they were unable to preserve them when they journeyed home. Their solution was to make a double-distilled version of wine (now known as brandy) in order to better preserve the booze. The type of brandy produced in the commune of Cognac later became known by the name of the region itself.
Due to this double distillation process, cognac holds a complex flavor that adds a powerful kick to any boozy cupcake recipe. This chocolate mousse layer cake uses cognac to accentuate the chocolate's sugary bitterness. If you're hoping to adapt this recipe to cupcake format, you can garnish your creation with shaved chocolate. Serve these cupcakes cold with a glass of cognac to chase.
12. Pecan Bourbon cupcakes
If whiskey stems from the Irish, then bourbon is distinctly American. This unique type of whiskey originated during the 18th century in the American south, where weather conditions did not permit farmers to grow the same type of rye used in Northern whiskies (via Volta).
Instead, farmers (particularly those from Kentucky) began to grow corn and distill it into the category of whiskey that we know as bourbon today. Interestingly, as Flavorman notes, much of bourbon's flavor stems from the wood itself. This means that bourbon can add an oaky, or even nutty, flavor to your boozy cupcakes.
Cooks looking for a way to incorporate bourbon into cupcakes can use the liquor to make boozy pecans. Grab two cups of pecans and place them in a bowl. Cover them with bourbon and let the nuts soak for an hour or two, depending on how strong you want the bourbon flavor to be.
Then, remove the pecans and add them to a standard vanilla cupcake recipe. For an extra kick, place some liquor-infused pecans on the top of your cupcakes. Alternatively, you can add a teaspoon of bourbon to a whipped honey frosting finish.