Eggnog Cupcakes with Whipped Bourbon Buttercream
Get into the holiday season with these moist eggnog cupcakes with whipped bourbon buttercream!
Yes I went there and started holiday baking a whole month in advance!! Say what? It’s the best time of the year and I have so many recipes to test and share with you guys so let’s get started with the season!! (FYI: The universal holiday declarer started their holiday menu almost two weeks ago).
It is always a debate as to when to start baking holiday sweets, listening to Christmas music and oh gosh, when the tree goes up. Those who just want more time to enjoy Christmas everything and those who are in the “It’s too soon, geez loiuse” camp. I kinda fall in the latter but only for shopping and music. When it comes to baking, the sooner the better for me because 4 weeks is just not enough time to bake all the things I want to. There are way too many peppermint mocha things, eggnog this and gingerbread that to keep to 4 weeks!!
When we spotted eggnog at the grocery store two weeks ago and we quickly grabbed a carton. The hubs loves it and he has been enjoying it every night! I, on the other hand, can’t stand the viscosity of eggnog. Yuck! But put it in baked goods like these eggnog macarons or spiced eggnog cupcakes then I’m all over it.
I couldn’t wait to share these with you. Adapting my absolute favorite vanilla cupcake recipe, I infused eggnog and bourbon (because uhmmm it’s cold and we need warmth) into the moist cupcakes. The result is a crumbly soft cupcake topped with whipped eggnog buttercream (with more bourbon). Just plain good!!!
And it’s a simple and delicious way to start the holiday season. And oh it’s upon us!!
Eggnog Cupcakes with Whipped Bourbon Buttercream
Get into the holiday season with these moist eggnog cupcakes with whipped bourbon buttercream!
Ingredients
For Spiced Eggnog Cupcakes
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon bourbon flavoring or 1-2 teaspoons of bourbon
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- ½ cup eggnog, room temperature
For Whipped Bourbon Frosting:
- 3 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons eggnog
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon bourbon emulsion or 2-3 teaspoons bourbon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners or silicone baking cups.
- In a medium bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract and bourbon. In a medium mixing cup, combine the eggnog and milk.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about a third of the flour mixture. Add half of the milk mixture, another third of the flour, and the rest of the milk and ending with the rest of the flour, mixing after each addition. Beat until just combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed.
- Pour batter into prepared pans. Fill liners about ⅔ full. Bake cupcakes until lightly golden or a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean, about 12-14 minutes.
- Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.
- For the Whipped Bourbon Frosting:
- Whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer. The butter will become pale and creamy.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes until the frosting is very light, creamy, and fluffy.
- Frost cooled cupcakes with frosting and garnish with sugared cranberries if desired.
Notes
This recipe can be baked as a two layer 8-inch round cake. Bake for 30-35 mins and let cool 10 mins in the pan before inverting onto a cooling rack.
These are SO pretty, Zainab! I love the little cranberries that you topped the cupcake in the first photo with! Gets me into the Christmas mood. 🙂
Thanks Julie!!
oh my gawd, Z. . these cupcakes are FABULOUS and so pretty!!! I love that you shared these today!!! and love love love the Whipped Bourbon Frosting!!! what tip did you use?
Thanks Alice!
Yum! I’m such an eggnog hog during the holidays! And I love to bake with it. Definitely need this in my life!
Hahha you and my hubs will get along!
Love love love eggnog and any recipes with eggnog.
I wud love eggnog all year round
I love these festive cupcakes..’tis the season!
It is the season 🙂
These are so festive looking. Just beautiful! My boyfriend is an eggnog lover as well. He would love these cupcakes.
You should make them for him 🙂
We’re using bourbon in very different ways today…these look scrumptious!
What gorgeousness we have here. Totally delectable!
Pinned.
Have a fab weekend!
Hope you had a great weekend too!
I big puffy heart these cupcakes! I have been itching to start all things Christmas as well. The family is keeping my feet planted to the ground until Thanksgiving, and then it is on! These are gorgeous Zainab!
I big puffy heart you too!!
These cupcakes are absolutely fabulous! Wow!
Thanks dear!!
I down for Christmas baking if you’re going to keep bringing me awesome stuff like this. YUM! So festive. I’m in love!
Lol I love you Liz!!
What magic is this? These cupcakes look amazing!
What a beautiful treat to add to your holiday sweets table! I love these cupcakes…thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jodee!
I really should go ahead and start baking Christmas goodies, but the Scrooge inside of me wants to wait.. 😉 Beautiful cupcakes!
Hahah the Scrooge will be enjoying these!!
These are soooo pretty! The sugared cranberries are gorgeous! Yay – eggnog stuff! It’s finally time for eggnog baking! 🙂 TGIF!
Thanks Sarah!!
Once eggnog hits the shelves in the store, I say holiday baking is fair game! These cupcakes are absolutely amazing!!
That’s what Mr J says!!
Yay, I say bring on all the holiday flavors! It’s my favorite time of year for baking too! Love these cupcakes, they are so so pretty especially with the sugared cranberries! And that eggnog bourbon frosting? Mmmm, I could eat that up with a spoon!
Thanks Kelly!! I kind of did eat the frosting by the spoon
Yum! I need one of these, STAT!
Oh yes!!
Oh, I love these! So festive!!
Thanks Liz!!
Oh my gosh I just can’t yet. My step mom picked up a container of eggnog today but she plans on drinking it. Although these are quite stunning! I’ll put them on a list of things to make once Thanksgiving is over haha.
Dude I was just watching tv and realized it’s all holiday season on there!
I need to find eggnog! Really fast! 🙂 these cupcakes look irresistible!
It’s always so good!!
I was telling my husband there needs to be 2 months between our Thanksgiving and Christmas to make more time for everything. These cupcakes are so lovely – they definitely get you into the holiday spirit! I can’t wait to see all the festive holiday desserts everyone will make. I’ll be busy making a lot of favorites but there’s always room for some new inspiration like this!
These cupcakes are beautiful! I love the candy covered cranberries on top. Also eggnog and bourbon frosting *and* cake? sounds like a VERY delicious start to holiday baking.
It does!! Thank you!
I HAVE TO SAY, THESE LOOK TOTALLY PROFESSIONAL, ZAINAB! DO YOU FREEZE ANY OF THE GOODIES YOU MAKE SO FAR BEFORE CHRISTMAS, OR DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU JUST ENJOY THEM FOR LONGER … HAHA! BUT ANYWAY, WHAT A SUPER CREATIVE IDEA TO MIX EGGNOG AND BOURBON. THESE SOUND LIKE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMASY TREAT!
Thanks Helen! Oh I enjoy them longer no freezing here. Make, eat, enjoy and repeat!!
Yum Yum! So Delicious, btw Awesome Photography!
Thanks Rebecca!
Bourbon in cupcakes = YES!!! The sugared cranberries on top are so pretty!
Thank you Natasha!!
I try to wait until after Thanksgiving to start all things Christmas, but these cupcakes are certainly tempting me! Eggnog is my fave!
Me too…that’s usually when I start. But the cold and snow is swaying me this year!
Zainab, these look and sound SO delicious! We love bourbon in this house, so I’m definitely going to try these 🙂 Pinned!
Hope you try them Jill!!
These cupcakes are definitely going on my holiday baking list.. they look so incredibly delicious, especially with all that frosting. Pinned!
Love how festive this cupcake is. Cupcakes look delicious.
The Christmas decorations are up in shopping centre where i live plus they are playing festive songs in the shops, so this is the time to be sharing Christmas recipes.
Thanks Chichi!
Just stunning!! That first pic with those sugared cranberries makes my mouth water!
Thanks Ami!
Catching up on all the posts I’ve missed has been a feast for my eyes this afternoon, Zainab. Everything you’ve been making lately is gorgeous. I love the sugared cranberries you nestled into that creamy, dreamy frosting. It’s so damn pretty and festive! I’ve been in the Christmas mood since November 1st. I put my tree up two weeks ago, I’ve been watching Christmas movies on Netflix, I don’t even care that they started putting decorations up in the mall two weeks before Halloween even hit. I love enjoying the holidays as long as I can. These eggnog cupcakes are the bomb dot com.
Thank you dearly Nancy! And by the way, I am so glad you took some time away! Hope you are feeling better 🙂 And NO WAY did I know you are one of those Christmas die-hards???
How gorgeous and incredible for the holidays! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Thanks Karly!!
Your pictures make these cupcakes really beautiful! They look so yummy!
Thanks Rebecca!
followed over from the Time to Sparkle Link Party and I have to say… these cupcakes are gorgeous! I definitely need to make these!
Thanks Veronica!!
Made these last week and shared them with friends. They are amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay!! That is so great to hear. Thank you for letting me know 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Oh.My.Word! These look amazing and soooo festive! Love the Whipped Bourbon Buttercream frosting! Yum! I need to make these for my Dad because he loves eggnog.
I Love these! I made them minis (72 amazing little cupcakes were made from one batch!). I used eggnog with booze in it and also put a little on top before frosting and they were a hit! Thanks for the recipe!!
Kim I am so glad to hear you loved this recipe. Your changes sound delicious and now I want to make them with some booze 😉 Happy holidays!
Do you think I could use spiced rum in place of bourbon?
Yes you can.