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Bourbon Smash Cupcakes with Blackberry Filling and Mint Garnish Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 768 reviews

These Bourbon Smash Cupcakes are moist, flavorful treats featuring a tender vanilla cupcake infused with bourbon and milk, filled with a luscious blackberry bourbon sauce, and topped with a rich bourbon buttercream frosting. The addition of fresh mint and lemon juice in the filling adds a refreshing twist. Perfect for indulgent dessert lovers looking for a unique cupcake with a boozy, fruity punch.

Ingredients

Scale

Cupcakes

  • 1 cup (190g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (59ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cup (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) bourbon
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) milk, any type, at room temperature

Filling

  • 12 ounces blackberries, rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons (24g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (9g) all-purpose flour
  • 6 large mint leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) bourbon

Frosting

  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cold
  • 4 cups (520g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) bourbon

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cupcake Batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a cupcake pan with liners. In a large bowl, beat together granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract at medium speed for about 2 minutes until well combined and lightened in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in sour cream until fully incorporated.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half of these dry ingredients along with half the milk into the wet ingredients, mixing just until flour begins to blend in. Add the remaining dry ingredients and milk and mix until the batter is uniform. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl sides and stir from bottom to top to ensure thorough mixing.
  3. Fill Cupcake Liners: Using a large cookie scoop, evenly distribute the batter into the liners, filling each about two-thirds full to avoid overflow during baking.
  4. Bake Cupcakes: Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes. To check doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven, then let them cool completely on a wire rack.
  5. Make Blackberry Filling: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine blackberries, granulated sugar, and flour. Stir well to coat. Add lemon juice, bourbon, and chopped mint leaves. Bring mixture to a gentle boil with bubbling on top, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens.
  6. Cool Filling: Remove the blackberry sauce from heat and refrigerate until fully cooled and thickened further.
  7. Fill Cupcakes: Once cooled, hollow out the centers of the cupcakes using a knife or cupcake corer. Spoon the blackberry sauce filling into each cupcake center. Set aside any leftover filling for garnish or extra serving.
  8. Prepare Frosting: Cut cold unsalted butter into tablespoon-sized pieces. Using a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat the butter for 3-5 minutes until fluffy and spreadable, scraping the bowl as needed.
  9. Add Sugar and Liquids: Alternate adding powdered sugar one cup at a time and the liquid ingredients (heavy cream, vanilla extract, and bourbon), mixing on low speed until incorporated, then increasing to high speed and beating for 30-60 seconds after each addition. Repeat this until all powdered sugar and liquids are fully combined.
  10. Finish Frosting: Beat the frosting on high speed for an additional 2-3 minutes to achieve a light, airy texture perfect for piping.
  11. Pipe Frosting: Fit a large piping bag with a large open round tip and pipe the frosting generously onto each filled cupcake.
  12. Garnish and Serve: Top the frosted cupcakes with a spoonful of leftover blackberry sauce, a fresh blackberry or blueberry, and a small mint leaf for decoration. Store cupcakes in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Notes

  • Ensure eggs, sour cream, and milk are at room temperature to promote even mixing and better texture.
  • Be careful not to overfill the cupcake liners to prevent batter spillover during baking.
  • Allow blackberry filling to cool completely before filling cupcakes to avoid soggy centers.
  • Cold butter and heavy cream help achieve a light, fluffy frosting.
  • You can substitute bourbon with a non-alcoholic vanilla extract for a milder flavor.

Keywords: Bourbon Smash Cupcakes, bourbon cupcakes, blackberry filling, bourbon buttercream, mint garnish, homemade cupcakes, party dessert

Find it online: https://victoriablair.com/bourbon-smash-cupcakes-with-blackberry-filling-and-mint-garnish-recipe/