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A bourbon infused vanilla cupcake covered with a vanilla buttercream and drizzled with blackberry sauce and a mint leaf garnish.

Blackberry Bourbon Smash Cupcakes

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 60 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12-14 cupcakes
  • Category: cupcakes
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These Blackberry Bourbon Smash Cupcakes are vanilla bourbon cupcakes with a blackberry mint infused filling and topped with a vanilla bean buttercream.


Ingredients

For the cupcake:

  • 1 cup (190g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (59ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (48g) light sour cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cup (175g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) bourbon
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) milk (I use nonfat)

For the filling:

  • 12 ounces blackberries
  • 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

For the frosting:

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

Instructions

  1. For the cupcake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the eggs and oil are well incorporated and the batter is lighter in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
  3. Next mix in the sour cream and beat until well combined.
  4. Add half the flour followed by the baking powder and salt, and beat on low speed while pouring in the bourbon and mix just until the flour starts to incorporate.
  5. Finally add the remaining flour, mixing on low speed while pouring in the milk and beating until all of the ingredients are well combined.
  6. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed.
  7. Using a large cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly, filling each liner 2/3 full. Careful not to overfill.
  8. Bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes. Test the cupcakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. Cool Completely.
  9. For the filling: In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine the blackberries with the sugar and flour stir well. Then add the lemon juice, bourbon and mint leaves. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture starts to breakdown, boil and bubble, stirring frequently.
  10. Reduce heat and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the blackberry sauce starts to thicken.
  11. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool completely, refrigerating to help speed up the process. Sauce will thicken more as it cools.
  12. Once the filling has cooled, cut out the center of the cupcake using a knife or a cupcake corer. Fill the center of the cupcake with blackberry sauce. Set the leftovers aside.
  13. For the frosting: Cut the butter into pieces, about 1 tablespoon size. Using the paddle attachment, whip the butter for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Beat the butter until it looks lighter in color.
  14. Alternate slowly adding the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, with the liquid ingredients, mixing on low speed until it’s incorporated into the butter. Then increase the speed to high and beat for 30-60 seconds.  Repeat until all your powdered sugar and liquid ingredients have been added. Once all the ingredients have been added, beat at a high speed for about 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  15. In a large piping bag fitted with a large open round tip, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
  16. Garnish with leftover blackberry sauce before serving, top with a fresh blueberry and a mint leaf. Keep these in an airtight container.

Notes

  • The batter will be quite thin. It’s important that you stir the batter after mixing, to ensure everything on the bottom of the bowl is well mixed.
  • Sour Cream: You can substitute the light sour cream for Greek yogurt. You can also use full-fat sour cream if needed.
  • Storage suggestions: If you live in a hot and humid environment then I would suggest that you refrigerate cupcakes that are frosted and allow them to come to room temperature before serving. Otherwise they can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature.
  • Make-ahead: These are best served within 2 days of preparation but will proper storage they can stay fresh for several days.
  • Freezing: If needed, flash-freeze the cupcakes on a baking sheet for 15 minutes than transfer them to an air-tight, freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator for several hours then bring to room temperature. Add the filling and topping prior to serving.
  • Alcohol free option: for the cupcake, replace the bourbon with milk. For the filling, replace the bourbon with water. For the frosting, simply omit it all together.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cupcake
  • Calories: 438
  • Sugar: 51.3g
  • Sodium: 103.8g
  • Fat: 19g
  • Saturated Fat: 12g
  • Carbohydrates: 63g
  • Fiber: 1.6g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Cholesterol: 65mg