I recently bought piping bags and tips for frosting cupcakes so I was really feeling a need to bake some cupcakes. Flipping through the Barefoot Contessa Foolproof
I just read a recipe on The Endless Meal for Coconut Bourbon Cupcakes (that I can’t wait to make!), which is what inspired me to add bourbon to the frosting. In the original recipe Ina Garten uses a maple frosting for these cupcakes.
These cupcakes are incredibly moist, not overly sweet and complimented perfectly by the decadent bourbon maple frosting. They are light with beautiful hints of spices, creating a nicely balanced treat perfect for a chilly fall or winter day.
You can adjust the amount of bourbon and maple syrup in the frosting depending on your preference. I started out with less of both but found that the cream cheese overpowered the bourbon and maple flavors more than I wanted. Adding more of both bourbon and maple syrup I was able to get their flavors to really stand out.
Be sure to get pure pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling contains added sugar and spices. You want to be able to add your own amount of spice and sweetness for these cupcakes and the pure pumpkin purée allows you to do this.
Now I have to decide what to do with the leftover pumpkin purée…any ideas?
Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (different from pie filling)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2-3 tablespoons bourbon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs, pumpkin, sugars and vegetable oil. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes. While cupcakes are baking make the frosting. Cream the cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, bourbon and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Adjust powdered sugar amount to reach desired frosting thickness.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them with the Bourbon Maple Frosting.
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