Mint Julep Cupcakes

I love to try new and unusual recipes in the kitchen, but I particularly love a task that allows me to tweak and customize techniques to achieve a specific flavor combination. These cupcakes were made for a coworker of mine, a native Kentuckian and fan of the derby. We started discussing them in March after the success of the Irish Car Bomb cupcakes. I accepted the challenge, and the mint julep cupcake was born. 

I took the relatively same approach with these cupcakes as I did with the Irish Car Bomb cupcakes- cake, alcohol-infused filling, alcohol flavored frosting. They turned out quite tasty with just the right kick to keep them off limits to those under the age of twenty-one.  

I began by researching other versions of this cupcake treat. They all involved using a great deal of alcohol in the batter which caused me some concern. I was primarily thinking about the consistency and texture of the cake. I wanted to perfume the cake with alcoholic flavor rather than making it mushy or more on the beverage side than the dessert side. Ultimately, I decided to use my ultra-tasty, hugely reliable vanilla cupcake recipe and tweak it just a bit. 

I began the actual construction of these cupcakes by culling the necessary ingredients. I knew I absolutely needed bourbon, and I wanted an alcohol to flavor the frosting. I ended up trying creme de menthe. My coworker was kind enough to provide me with the appropriate bourbon necessary to achieve a true Kentucky mint julep flavor. I had an opportunity to sample just a bit, and I must say it was strong stuff. I could actually taste it lingering in the burst of warm air when I opened the oven to check on the first batch. For the filing, we discussed the different bases and decided that a white chocolate would be best to achieve the sweet flavor of a mint julep. 

Mint Julep Cupcakes

Makes about 24 cupcakes 

1 3/4 c. cake flour

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. sugar

1 tbs. baking powder

3/4 tbs. salt

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoons

4 large eggs at room temperature 

3/4 c. whole milk

1/4 c. 100 proof bourbon

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 325 and line a standard muffin pan with your favorite cupcake liners. I went for a Kentucky blue suitable for the occasion. 

In the bowl of your mixer, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix until they are combined. Add the softened butter a few tablespoons at a time. Mix on medium low until the butter is incorporated and the pieces of butter are no larger than a peanut. I try to get mine looking like the consistency of a crumbly crust ready to be pressed into the pie plate. 

In a large measuring cup, a 2 cup Pyrex works well, whisk together milk, bourbon, eggs, and vanilla. If you want to up the bourbon flavor, substitute more bourbon for milk. I would not go more than half a cup as you need to milk to keep the cupcakes the right consistency. Make sure you are using whole milk for this recipe as the fat content is important to achieving a successful cupcake. 

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients in three parts, mixing on medium after each addition. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, but do not over mix because it can affect the texture of the cupcakes. 

Fill your liners to about 2/3 full. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Test cupcakes with a cake tester after removing them from the oven to ensure they are done. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely before filing and frosting. 

Bourbon White Chocolate Ganache

12 oz. white chocolate chips

2/3 c. heavy cream

2 tbs. unsalted butter at room temperature

3 tbs. bourbon (or more if you really want to taste it)

Heat the cream in the microwave until simmering, about a minute and ten seconds. Pour in the white chocolate chips, shaking bowl slightly to ensure that all of the chips are covered in hot cream. Let this sit for about one minute. Stir in the butter and bourbon. Continue stirring the mixture until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. You don't want the mixture to appear curdled or chunky. 

Do not be afraid if the mixture appears a bit soupy. I kept mine in the refrigerator overnight, and it was still a bit runny. The trick is to achieve a consistency slightly thiner than a pudding. This will ensure that it does not soak into your cupcakes, but still has a pleasantly smooth feel similar to a well prepared adult beverage. Definitely make this ahead of time, so if it does not have the proper consistency, you have time to let it chill for several hours in the fridge. 

Creme de Menthe Frosting

1 c. unsalted butter at room temperature

2 lbs. confectioners sugar

4-5 tbs. creme de menthe

Beat the butter in the bowl of your mixer until smooth and creamy. Begin adding the sugar in small portions, beating between each addition. Add the creme de menthe. Beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy, achieving the proper consistency for piping. 

Be sure to sample your frosting. If you find that the mint flavor is not powerful enough, add more alcohol or a half teaspoon of mint extract. 

Assembling the Cupcakes

To assemble the finished product, begin by cutting the centers out of your cupcakes. I like to use a sharp knife and cut in a cone shape. This makes a lovely, symmetrical circle and fun cake cones that you can munch on while you are decorating your cupcakes. 

Fill a pastry bag with the white chocolate ganache and pipe enough filling into each cupcake to reach the top of the cake. Do not be afraid to overfill your cupcakes. It just means more deliciousness for the person who eats the overfilled one. 

Fill another pastry bag fitted with Wilton tip 1m. Pipe the frosting in a circular swirl pattern, making sure to cover the filling completely. 

Fill free to garnish the finished product with fresh mint leaves or caster sugar. 

I loved the way these cupcakes turned out. They were a great melding of flavors. I liked that I could taste each of the components and that the textures worked well together. These cupcakes were an adventure that I would love to take again. My next foray into the adult beverage themed cupcake will probably be white Russian inspired in honor of my lovely husband. I will, of course, post pictures and how-tos when I tackle this challenge. 

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Brown and Blue Baby Shower Cupcakes

There is nothing more joyful than celebrating a new life. I made these baby shower cupcakes for one of my coworkers who is expecting a son. The blue and brown combination is quite popular for little boy nurseries at the moment, and I was excited to get a chance to try my hand at putting together a simple treat that reflects that trend.

I used a basic vanilla cake recipe and folded fresh blueberries into the batter. The fresh fruit lent a light note to the fluffy sweetness of the vanilla cake. I chose to use fresh blueberries rather than frozen to avoid the purple color that frozen berries would have inevitably brought to the batter. I also believe the integrity of the fresh berry is much greater than that of a frozen one, making the cake void of any mushy berry pockets that are often found in mass-produced blueberry baked goods. The berries also made the cupcakes rather pretty in their white liners. They took on a polka-dotted appearance. If you look carefully at the cupcake in the lower right corner, you can see one of the blueberries peeking out from under the frosting.

The simple decoration on the cupcake is made from marshmallow fondant, tinted blue and brown. My coworker specifically requested no chocolate in the decorative elements. I felt that using a fondant would be better than attempting to color frosting a deep brown hue without the benefit of cocoa powder.

You'll notice that the cupcakes appear to be wearing skirts. I have started double wrapping the cupcakes I make for special occasions. I do this because many times a printed liner will lose its vibrancy when going through the baking process, and I want my cupcakes to have a polished look that is appropriate for the occasion. I want to try using some sort of ribbon or seal to keep the additional liner from fanning out so much. I will post comments and pictures when I get an opportunity to try this technique.

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