Tag Archives: bourbon

March 1, 2013 · 9:00 pm

Banana Bourbon Cupcakes

banana bourbon cupcakes // pale yellow

This is a recipe I really wanted to try.  As everyone knows, I’m in love with bourbon right now and the idea of a spiced banana cupcake with a bourbon buttercream and chocolate-bourbon drizzle sounds spectacular.  Unfortunately, I made these cupcakes towards the end of February, my vegan month, and was unable to taste any portion of the cupcakes.  However, there might be a cupcake in the freezer I’m saving for March, I hope it thaws well…

banana bourbon cupcakes // pale yellow

Jackie should really win an award for wife of the year.  For their first anniversary she ordered bacon cupcakes to give to her husband as a gift and for his birthday she ordered these cupcakes.  This woman knows the way to her man’s heart.

banana bourbon cupcakes // pale yellow

For those of you that are subscribers I’m sorry the mess up this morning.  I started the post but never finished because of a couple late nights and parent teacher conferences.  This morning in the post-parent teacher conference hang-over I jumped on the computer to take down the post.  Sometimes work really gets in the way of blogging.

banana bourbon cupcakes // pale yellow

So now on a lazy Friday night I have lots of time to write a complete post.  According to Ruth, my official taste-tester, these cupcakes were moist and flavorful.  The frosting was sweet and bourbon-y.  The bourbon-chocolate drizzle was a lovely accompaniment the sweet bourbon goodness.

banana bourbon cupcakes // pale yellow

Now that it’s March 1st, and I’m easing my way back to dairy, butter, eggs, and meat, I had a little taste of left over frosting; it’s sweet, really sweet.  The powdered sugar really comes through and the bourbon is present in a lovely way.  This is a bourbon cupcake my friends, and I can’t wait to make more.

banana bourbon cupcakes // pale yellow

One Year Ago: Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese

Print the Recipe!

banana bourbon cupcakes // pale yellow

Banana Bourbon Cupcakes
Adapted from How Sweet It Is
Yield – 14 cupcakes

Banana Spice Cupcakes
1 1/3 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup mashed bananas (about 3 large)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg onto parchment paper and set aside
  3. In a large bowl beat the egg and whisk in the brown sugar until smooth.  Whisk in the vanilla, sour cream, and melted butter until well combined.  Scrape the bowl as needed.
  4. Stir in the the dry ingredients and then add the mashed bananas.
  5. Stir in the milk and chocolate chips and mix until well combined.
  6. Use a standard ice cream scoop to portion the batter into lined cupcake tins.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  7. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Bourbon Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons bourbon (I used 3)

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until pale yellow.  Turn the mixer on low and gradually add the powdered sugar until it is fully incorporated.
  2. Add in the vanilla and bourbon on low speed and then switch to a high speed for 3-4 minutes or until the frosting is super fluffy.  Add more bourbon for a looser frosting if desired.
  3. Add the frosting to a piping bag with a round tip.

Bourbon Chocolate Ganache & Assembly
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon bourbon

  1. Heat the heavy cream until it is simmering and then pour over the chocolate; stir until all the chocolate is melted.
  2. Stir in the bourbon until smooth.  Allow the ganache to cool slightly.
  3. Smear a nice dollop of bourbon ganache on top of each cupcake and then pipe a blob on top.
  4. Drizzle with the remaining ganache.banana bourbon cupcakes // pale yellow
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December 10, 2012 · 5:00 am

Boozy Cupcakes

Boozy Cupcakes // Pale Yellow

I am no stranger to desserts with alcohol or even cupcakes with booze inside.  This isn’t even my first time making a bourbon pastry cream.  Why do I need so many boozy cupcake recipes?  Why not?  Boozy cupcakes are delicious, everyone loves them, and they signal the start of a party!

boozy cupcakes // pale yellow

These cupcakes were made for Ron’s birthday.  Last year Irene and I were jerks and we both forgot to bake for Ron’s birthday.  We bake for everyone’s birthday but sadly he was left out.  This year I made sure to remember, but I was still a week late, whoops.  Better luck next year I guess!

boozy cupcakes // pale yellow

For the past few years Ron has gotten a box of the chocolate bottles with liquor inside from one of his students.  Many afternoons we would go have a little “pick-me-up” during our preps.  Honestly, there is more sugar in those things than anything else.  Good times up on the fourth floor!

boozy cupcakes // pale yellow

I wanted to try to recreate that memory in cupcake form.  These aren’t the prettiest cupcakes but they sure do taste good!  I made the pastry cream a little thicker than usual and divided it among four bowls with a different liquor added to each bowl and mixed in.  You could use any liquor you want. I went through my liquor cupboard and thought about what sounded good with chocolate.  I came up with marshmallow vodka, amaretto (Disaronno), Godiva liqueur, and bourbon.  All excellent choices!

boozy cupcakes // pale yellow

The chocolate cupcake is moist and tender.  The pastry cream is delightfully creamy and has a strong boozy flavor.  The frosting is nice and chocolatey.  This cupcake may not be high on the cuteness factor, but it is high on the fun and delicious scale!

boozy cupcakes // pale yellow

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Boozy Cupcakes!
Yield – 16 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup whole milk
2/3 cup hot water

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line the cupcake pan with liners, it’s easiest to use four different liners, one for each flavor.
  2. Add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, soda, powder, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix together on low with the paddle attachment.
  3. Beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl and add to the dry ingredients.
  4. Mix until just combined and then scrape down the sides.  Turn on the mixer and add the hot water slowly until well combined.
  5. Use a standard ice cream scoop to generously fill each liner
  6. Bake 15-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Boozy Pastry Cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 ounces sugar
1 ounce cornstarch
2 eggs
2 tablespoons each of Disaronno, marshmallow vodka, bourbon, Godiva liqueur, or liquors of your choice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  1. Heat the milk until it reaches scalding in a medium saucepan.
  2. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and eggs in a medium bowl.
  3. Add 1/2 cup of the hot milk to the sugar mixture and whisk continually.  Add a little more hot milk while you keep whisking.
  4. Once the eggs are warmed add to the rest of the milk on the stove and heat until the mixture thickens to the consistency of pancake batter.  Stir the entire time.
  5. Once thicken, add in the butter and stir to combine.
  6. Push the pastry cream through a fine sieve into another bowl.
  7. Divide the pastry cream into 4 different bowls.  Add 2 tablespoons of liquor to each bowl and stir to combine.
  8. Cover each bowl with plastic wrap touching the cream.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Chocolate Whipped Frosting

Yield – Generously frosts 36-40 cupcakes (refrigerate or freeze for later use, just let thaw and then re-whip to piping consistency)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
7 1/2 tablespoons flour
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
generous pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk and flour.  Keep whisking until the mixture becomes smooth and thick resembling pancake batter.
  2. Remove from the heat and add in the chocolate chips.  Give them a few minutes to melt and then mix until well combined.
  3. Stir in the vanilla and salt and allow to cool completely.
  4. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy – beat for 8 minutes
  5. Add in the cooled flour/milk/chocolate mixture and beat until the entire frosting is light and fluffy, about another 5-8 minutes.  This is a softer frosting, don’t be discouraged!

Assembly
Melted candy melts of a contrasting color

  1. Cut a deep cone out of each cupcake.  Cut off the pointy end of the cone so you just have a lid to put back on the cupcake after you fill it with pastry cream.
  2. Add a generous spoonful of pastry cream to each cupcake, make sure to coordinate fillings with liners.
  3. Place the lid on the cupcake.
  4. Pipe frosting over the top to cover up the lid.
  5. With melted candy melts or anything really, pipe a symbol so you know what flavor liquor is in each cupcake.
  6. Refrigerate to help the cupcake firm up and hold its shape.boozy cupcakes // pale yellow

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October 31, 2012 · 5:00 am

Pumpkin Pie Jello Shots

Yes, you can!  If you want to be the hostess-with-the-mostess, this is the recipe for you.  Nothing says holiday party like your favorite dessert turned into a miniaturized version that also happens to be a Jello shot!

Really, no Fall Fest is complete without pumpkin and no party is complete without Jello shots.  Ever since I saw the two combined I have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to show off.  Find all the fall fest recipes here:  Caramel Apple Crumb Bars, Apple Cider Sangria, and Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Buttercream.

My only compliant is too much of the pumpkin Jello seeped into the crust.  To solve this problem I would either make these Jello shots a few hours before serving (versus the night before) or add two layers of pumpkin Jello.  However, the bourbon whipped cream is a must!  There is nothing like bourbon goodness to make a perfect Jello shot.

The aborableness factor is high and the taste matches.  The crust is crispy and flaky and store-bought!  Shhhhhh, if you’re making fancy Jello shots, you can buy a store-bought crust, it’s a rule.  The Jello-pumpkin mixture tastes just like pie and has lots of spicy-goodnesss.  And obviously bourbon whipped cream is amazing!

Print the Recipe!

Pumpkin Pie Jello Shots
Adapted from That’s so Michelle
Inspired from Brit & Co
Yield – 40+

2 pre-made pie crust, two crusts come to a box, so in other words, one box)
cooking spray
1 envelope Knox gelatin
1 + 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup pureed pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of each nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup white rum
1 cup + 1/2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 F and liberally spray your mini-muffin tins with cooking spray.
  2. Roll out your pie dough with flour until it is about 11 inches in diameter.  Use a round cookie cutter or glass to cut circles larger than your little muffin tin.  I have two mini-muffin pans and the cups are very different in size.
  3. Carefully press the circles into the muffin tin and prick several times with a corn on the cob holder.
  4. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  5. Remove from the muffin tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.
  1. Pour 1 cup of water in a cold sauce pan and sprinkle the gelatin on top.  Let this sit for about 2 minutes.  Turn on the heat and add the pumpkin, spices, and sugar.  Stir until everything is combined and the mixture is warm.
  2. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum, 1/4 cup water, and cream.
  3. Place your mini pie crusts on a foil lined cookie sheet.
  4. Carefully pour into your mini pie crusts.  I used a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon and that worked well for me.  I place extra in little cups for more more traditional jello shots.
  5. Refrigerate overnight.
  1. Before serving whip the 1 cup of heavy cream until you reach soft peaks.  Add in the bourbon, vanilla and powdered sugar.  Whip again until stiff peaks form.
  2. Use a piping bag and a small star tip to pipe a dollop of whipped cream on each jello shot pie.
  3. Enjoy responsibly!

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September 28, 2012 · 5:00 am

Chocolate Bourbon Ice Cream

All the cool kids drink bourbon.  At least in my mind this is true.  I want to be a cool kid, so I’ve been drinking bourbon lately, a lot of bourbon!  Not only have I been drinking a lot of bourbon, but I’ve been baking with it.  The second bourbon recipe in less than a week, I’m doing well!  I’m obviously drinking bourbon as I write this post.

I wanted to make this ice cream months ago after I bought my ice cream maker because I knew new roommate Andrea was a bourbon and chocolate fan.  Well life got busy and now it’s mid-September.  The original recipe called for a cup of liquor, but I suspected that would be too much after my first attempt at Kahlua ice cream not freezing, so I reduced the amount of Bourbon to 1/2 cup.

Right decision!  The ice cream was perfectly rich and creamy and had a super intense chocolate flavor.  You could definitely taste the bourbon but not so much so that it would punch you in the face.  I adore the deep, dark chocolate color and flavor from the almost black cocoa powder!  Chocolate bourbon ice cream is an excellent thing to keep in your freezer.

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Chocolate Bourbon Ice Cream
Adapted from Calamity Jennie
Yield – 1 quart

3 cups whole milk
8 egg yolks
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup bourbon

  1. Make sure the bowl of your ice cream maker is in the freezer the night before.
  2. Add the milk to a medium saucepan and heat until warm.
  3. While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks and powdered sugar together.
  4. Add the hot milk into the eggs by laddlefills, whisking the egg yolks the entire time.  Once most of the milk is incorporated into the eggs and they are warm, add the mixture into the pot on the stove.
  5. Add the cocoa powder and whisk to combine.  Heat and stir the ice cream base until it thickens.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the bourbon and the vanilla.
  6. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve and refrigerate until cold, I refrigerated overnight.
  7. Churn the ice cream base according to the manufacturer’s directions.
  8. Spoon into a container and freeze until firm.

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September 24, 2012 · 5:00 am

Chocolate & Bourbon Cupcakes

Two cupcake recipes in a row?!?!  Crazytown!  This is what happens when you have two friends with birthdays on the same day.  I saw the recipe for these bourbon cupcakes ages ago on Pinterest and knew they would be perfect for Nicole’s birthday.  She is one of the coolest ladies I know and loves a good, dark drink like Guinness or whiskey AND she loves pastry cream, like she loves pastry cream a LOT.  Nicole also has one the cutest babies around!

I was interested in this recipe because it has so many steps!  I love cupcakes with fillings, topping, and an excuse to use my mini blow torch.  These cupcakes are no joke but I have an admission to make – I never ate an actual cupcake!

I know!  I don’t know what happened.  I sampled the cake, the pastry cream, and the frosting while I was baking, but I just never got around to trying it all together.  Honestly, it’s awkward for me to eat something I’ve made in front of other people, so I didn’t eat one at Nicole’s party at the new beer garden, and I may have been full from delicious German beer, whoops.  I usually save a cupcake for myself to eat privately at home, but this time I forgot!

These opinions are a collection of my personal opinions based on my sampling of the parts and the opinions of others.  The cupcakes are awesome!  The cake is super rich, chocolately, and moist.  I was worried at first that the cake would be too tender to hold the rich pastry cream, but the cake held it just fine.  Bourbon pastry cream is wonderful – it’s rich and creamy and full of vanilla bean goodness.  The bourbon flavor is present, but not over powering. And now that bourbon is my new favorite thing ever, I appreciate the flavor it brings to the cupcake.  The meringue frosting is light and a great contrast to the rich pastry cream, no heavy buttercreams here!  Any day I get to use my blow torch is a good day!

Print the Recipe!

Chocolate and Bourbon Cupcakes
Adapted from Chasing Delicious
Yield – 24 cupcakes

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 ounces unsweetened cocoa (I used the dark chocolate powder from Sahadi’s)
5 ounces flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
10 ounces sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk (or juice of 1/2 lemon with enough whole milk to equal 3/4 cup)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Melt the bittersweet chocolate in the microwave.  Use short increments and stir in between.  Let cool.
  3. Sift together the cocoa, flour, soda, and salt onto wax paper.  Set aside.
  4. Beat together the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the eggs in one at a time and beat to fully incorporate.  Beat in the vanilla.  Beat in the cooled, melted chocolate.  Scrape the bowl as needed.
  6. Turn the mixer on low and add in half the dry ingredients.  Add in the buttermilk and then the rest of the dry ingredients.  Mix until just combined.
  7. Use a standard size ice cream scoop to portion the batter among lined cupcake tins.
  8. Bake for 20-22 or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  9. Let cool fully on a wire rack.

Bourbon Pastry Cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk
vanilla bean
2 ounces sugar
1 ounce corn starch
2 eggs
1/4 cup bourbon
1 ounce (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  1. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the vanilla bean to the milk in a medium saucepan.  Heat the milk until it reaches scalding.
  2. Whisk together the sugar, corn starch, eggs, and bourbon in a medium bowl.
  3. Add 1/2 cup of the hot milk to the sugar mixture and whisk continually.  Add a little more hot milk while you keep whisking.
  4. Once the eggs are warmed add to the rest of the milk on the stove and heat until the mixture thickens.  Stir the entire time.
  5. Once thicken, add in the butter and stir to combine.
  6. Push the pastry cream through a fine sieve into another bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, letting the plastic touch the top of the cream. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Meringue Frosting

6 egg whites
4.5 ounces of corn syrup by weight
9 ounces sugar
6 tablespoons water

  1. Separate the eggs and add the whites to the stand mixer with the whisk attachment.  Leave it alone for a few minutes, you’ll need it soon.
  2. Add the corn syrup, sugar, and water to a small saucepan and stir to combine.  Heat until the syrup reaches 230 F.  Once the syrup reaches this temperature, start whipping the egg whites until they reach a soft peak stage.  Keep heating the syrup until it reaches 240 F.
  3. At this point you need to put on your game face – turn the mixer on medium speed and slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the mixer trying to not get the syrup on the whisk or the side of the bowl.
  4. Turn the mixer on high and whisk until the bowl becomes cool and fully whipped.  This takes about at least 10 minutes, if not longer.

Assembly

  1. Cut a cone out of each cupcake and cut off the tip of the cone.  Place the cones aside, do not eat them!
  2. Add the bourbon pastry cream to a ziploc bag and squeeze into each void left by the cone.
  3. Replace the cones.
  4. Add the meringue to a pastry bag with a large star tip and pipe on each cupcake.
  5. Using a small blow torch, torch each cupcake to your heart’s content!

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