Eggnog Cupcakes with Boozy Ganache Frosting

If you're following along at home (Are you reading this at work? I hope you're not being paid with taxpayer money.), this recipe is the second cake in the holiday assortment and if you are a fan of the flavored latte, this is the fourth holiday latte monstrosity-inspired recipe.

But who cares about my reasoning? ONTO THE CAKE.

Total time: 2.5 hours (mostly inactive) --- 20 minutes prep, 20 minutes baking, 1.5 hrs waiting for ganache to set, 20 minutes frosting.

Verdict: The cake itself is denser than a standard cupcake, almost more like pound cake than regular cake (I would recommend you keep this a boozy cake or be very careful while baking so that you don't get dry cakes). The eggnog ganache frosting was a bit more white chocolate than eggnog for my taste. I'd try a eggnog whipped cream topping in the future given how dense the cake is.

Eggnog Cupcakes

adapted from SprinkleBakes, yields 12 cupcakes.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup commercially prepared eggnog1 1/2 cups cake flour*
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 shot dark rum, plus extra for brushing (optional, but who wants to be a sober Scrooge?)


1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line tin with liners or grease. Set aside.
2. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix until butter is creamy and sugar is incorporated (no lumps, please).
4.  Add the egg, and once beaten smooth, add the rum and eggnog.
5. Incorporate flour mixture, 1/2 at a time. Mix until there are no more lumps. 
6. Place 1/4 cup batter into tin. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool for 30 minutes. Optional: brush cakes with rum before they cool completely (or drizzle ~1/2 to 1 teaspoon if you don't have a brush).

*DIY cake flour from all-purpose flour (see JoyTheBaker): measure out flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour for every cup used and replace with cornstarch. Then, sift flour and cornstarch together 4-5 times to aerate the mixture.

Eggnog Ganache Frosting

adapted from SprinkleBakes

1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup commercially prepared eggnog
1/2 cup/ 113g unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2-3 tablespoons dark rum
nutmeg, for sprinkling

1. On low-medium heat, stir the white chocolate and eggnog in a small saucepan until mixture can be stirred smooth. 
2. Transfer ganache to a bowl and let cool completely in the refrigerator, about 1-2 hours. 
3. When ganache is cool (Note: it will be soft and runny), add rum and beat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes with a mixer set to medium-high. 
4. Add softened butter and beat briefly at high speed, then add confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time. Beat on high speed again until fluffy and mixture is lightened in color. 
5. Spread frosting or pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Garnish for a light sprinkle of nutmeg.

Gingerbread Cupcakes w/ Scotch Buttercream

The holidays are my favorite time of year. Every party has a built-in theme and it is the only time of year when baking without abandon is encouraged. More importantly, the cinnamon-spiced goodness of Fall flavors evolves into a yummy, complex gingerbread in December. Unlike pumpkin spice, it's really hard to make gingerbread cloyingly sweet and disgusting, unless it is a gingerbread latte (Honestly, who is so pressed for time that dessert has to be in the coffee? Sit down and enjoy your dessert and coffee as separate entities, like a civilized person).

These cakes were part of a holiday-themed boozy assortment that I gave to friends. Or if you are an astute reader the third cupcake that Starbucks' holiday latte lineup has inspired/provoked me into making.

Total time: 1.5 hours (mostly inactive, I was making another set of cakes too) --- 20 minutes prep, 20 minutes baking.

Verdict: The scotch was not as prominent in the cake as I thought it would have been. Then again, Johnnie Walker is a blended scotch so it's not going have any overwhelming elements in its flavor profile. This is not an endorsement or a criticism of the brand or this particular expression for drinking. It's what I used because it was the Scotchtober special when I stocked up (I didn't make that up, it's what the liquor store called it). Otherwise, I was pleased with the cake. It was spicy, but not so much that it was like biting into a Yankee Candle, and it was moist, but not super dense. It also helps when the pickiest eater you know texts you to say "YUMMY! I ate 2 already" within 10 minutes of dropping them off.

insouciant frosting flip and a sprinkle of brown sugar to garnish :)

Gingerbread Cupcakes 

 adapted from King Arthur Flour, yields 12 cupcakes

1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
1/2 cup water
scotch whiskey for brushing, ~ 1 shot (optional, feel free to use any whiskey or none, I guess.) 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line tin with paper liners or lightly grease with butter.

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

3. Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and egg.

4. Add 1/4 cup of the water to the melted butter mixture, then half the dry mixture, and stir. Add the remaining water and dry mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, about 3/4 the way.

6. Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool for 30 minutes. Optional: brush cakes with scotch before they cool completely (or drizzle ~1/2 to 1 teaspoon if you don't have a brush).

Scotch Buttercream

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons scotch whiskey (I used Johnnie Walker Black)


1. Soften butter and sift powdered sugar to remove clumps.
2. Add powdered sugar to butter, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with whiskey in small batches. You may need more or less powdered sugar/whiskey to get your desired consistency/booziness.