Tis the season for sweet treats! As you know, I put my alcoholic spin on everything. This is not limited to just cocktails and cosmetics, but cupcakes, too! Since I’m baking more than usual for the holidays, I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce my new boozey baking series! Kicking it off is my alcoholic apple pie cupcake recipe featuring Fireball Whisky (in the filling) and Pinnacle Whipped Vodka (in the frosting). These babies are scrumptious and a little dangerous because you can barely taste the alcohol. Read on for the recipe and stay tuned for many more liquor laced desserts to come!
Apple Pie Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
Spiced Apple Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp apple pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Apple Pie Filling
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp apple pie spice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Whipped Topping
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tbsp sour cream
- 1-2 Tbsp Pinnacle Whipped Vodka
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cupcake pan with paper cups.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt.
- Whisk together melted butter and sugar. Mix in eggs one at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla and buttermilk and mix until combined. Stir in dry ingredients, do not over mix the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cups of the prepared cupcake pan, filling each liner 2/3 full.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
For the apple pie filling
- Toss the apples, brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp apple pie spice together. Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan and add the apple mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat until apples are soft, about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. In a small bowl mix the Fireball with the cornstarch. Add to hot apple mixture and cook until it thickens. Let mixture cool completely.
For the whipped topping
- Beat the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and sour cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks. Beat in 1-2 Tbsp Pinnacle Whipped Vodka and beat until smooth and well combined.
- Prepare a piping bag (I used Wilton tip 1M) and fill with frosting.
Assembly
- Using a small knife or apple corer, cut the center out of each cupcake and fill to overflowing with the apple filling.
- Pipe the whipped cream topping on top of each cupcake (don’t completely hide the cupcake) and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Ta-da! My recipe yields 12 cupcakes. Garden photoshoot followed by dessert picnic is optional, but highly recommended. Cheers! 😉