Friday, July 15, 2011

Bourbon Spice Cupcakes



Yesterday was my dear friend, Emily's, birthday!  I have been thinking about what to make for her all week!  I wanted to make her something a little different... 

I remembered this cake recipe that I used from The Pampered Chef a few years ago for a Caramel Bourbon Spice Cake.  It starts with a cake mix but I always prefer cakes made from scratch so I looked for a spice cake recipe and found an awesome one at The Hungry Mouse for a Buttermilk Spice Cake.  I will print this recipe at the bottom of the page as I did make one adjustment that I'll share with you, but there's already a nice tutorial for this cake there.

Once I made the cupcakes, I went back to The Pampered Chef recipe for the filling and topping.  I decided to use the filling recipe as a start for the frosting on this cupcake and the caramel topping as a drizzle.  I modified the filling by adding more whipping cream and less sugar.  I made the caramel topping from scratch instead of from melting store bought caramel candy. 


This turned out perfectly.  Most of the people who tried this, had two.  It was that good.  Even my husband who doesn't like spice cake wanted to eat the whole pan of these!  And most importantly, Emily liked them!

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Buttermilk Spice Cupcakes
adapted from The Hungry Mouse

2 c cake flour, sifted
3/4 c sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 c brown sugar, packed
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 c buttermilk
2 eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pans with paper lines for 24 cupcakes.

Sift dry ingredients together into the bowl of yor mixer.  Using the paddle attachment, mix it a bit to ensure that everything is combined.  Add the milk and butter and mix until just incorporated.  Add eggs and beat for 1-2 minutes to get a fluffy batter. 

Fill cupcake liners evenly with batter.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cake center bounces back when pressed.  Cool.

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Bourbon Whipped Topping
2 tbsp bourbon
1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 c heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/4 c sugar

Place bourbon in small bowl.  Sprinkle gelatin on top and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Microwave for 10 seconds and stir.  Repeat up to 2 times until all gelatin is dissolved.  Add this to the bowl of your mixer, along with whipping cream.  Start mixer on low and gradually increase speed to high and allow cream to form stiff peaks.  Slowly add sugar as the cream is mixing. 

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Spiked Caramel Sauce
1/2 c sugar
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp bourbon
1 tbsp heavy cream

Add sugar and butter to a small pan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  This will take several minutes but it will come together and look like a nice thick golden caramel.  Add cream.  Continue to stir until completely incorporated and desired thickness has been reached.  Remove from heat.  After cooling down, add bourbon and stir into sauce.

Linking up at:

16 comments:

  1. Yummy, I could go for one now.

    I have been trying to get the photo in the post and I am running into problem after problem. I might have pulled it off but it tends to disappear. I am sorry about this.
    If you link this week, I will gladly put up a photo, next week.

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  2. These cupcakes look so delicious! I'd love to taste one. Such an interesting blend of flavors. Thanks for sharing on A Well-Seasoned Life's Sweet Indulgences Sunday.

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  3. Oh yum! I think I'll have three!! All those flavors sound like they'd fit perfectly together.

    I'd love for you to link this and any other cupcake related post you have at the month long Cupcake Link Party!

    Cheers,
    Tracy

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  4. This looks yummy! Would you come by my Cast Party Wednesday Link Party tomorrow and share some of your recipes with us?
    Thanks,
    I hope to see you there!

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  5. That looks so yummy. We love your blog. Come over and visit us. We have a wonderful grilled fruit recipe and tomorrow a tasty option for a picnic.

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  6. Love these cupcakes, especially that spiked caramel sauce! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!

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  7. These look so delicious and they are beautiful to look at.
    I am signing up to follow you..come on by sometime. :)

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  8. Cute blog! thanks for linking up!

    Ashton
    www.somethingswanky.com
    {Sweet Treats Thursday}

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  9. I can almost taste these cupcakes! Please share your delicious recipe by linking it up at Muffin Monday. Thanks!

    http://www.talkingdollarsandcents.net/muffin-monday-banana-cinnamon-whole-wheat-muffins

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  10. Thanks so much for linking up this awesome cupcake recipe at Muffin Monday!

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  11. Hi Jenn,
    I can almost taste this wonderful muffin, what a great dessert. Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe with Full Plate Thursday and please come back soon!
    Miz Helen

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  12. Thank you so much for stopping by Cast Party Wednesday last week. I really appreciate you sharing your recipe with us. I hope you will join us again for another awesome party filled with yummy recipes.
    Thanks Again!

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  13. Yum! These look good. I am going to have to look and look on your blog and find a good yellow cake recipe. I have been trying and trying...to no avail. I have found recipes, but they do not turn out so great when I cook them. :)

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  14. Susan, I am still on a quest for a good yellow cake recipe. I have a good pound cake recipe and I love the vanilla cake I use for my vanilla cupcakes but no yellow that I love... yet! I WILL find one! :)

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  15. These cupcakes look heavenly! Between the bourbon whipped cream and the spiked sauce it sounds amazing.

    If you’d like, I wanted to invite you to share your best recipes over at my new party, Recipe Sharing Monday at Jam Hands. I’m going to be featuring my favorite submissions during the week and I’d love it if you’d join in the fun. :O)

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