birthday cupcakes: Crown Royal whiskey cupcakes (aka Boozy Cupcakes)

I never gave my father-in-law a chance to choose his birthday cupcake flavour - it was always going to be Crown Royal cupcakes.

You see, many years ago, when Paul and I were still dating, I gave a bottle of Crown Royal Canadian whiskey to his dad for Christmas after Paul told me it was his favourite. The tradition was born. Ever since, I have gifted Paul's dad with a bottle of Crown Royal every Christmas.

Many bottles of Crown Royal later, I didn't hesitate that this would be the flavour to kick off my birthday cupcake series.

cupcakes: moist, but a little dense.

frosting: I loved the frosting, but it didn't mix evenly, so some cupcakes tasted a lot like whiskey while others tasted more like a plain chocolate cupcake and nothing else.

overall: The idea of Crown Royal cupcakes was met with a lot of popularity (I have a feeling that anytime I say "cupcakes with booze" people will start cheering), but the resulting cupcakes weren't as whiskey-flavoured as I had wanted, even though I had put whiskey in both the cupcake and the frosting. Otherwise, it was a fairly successful first attempt at birthday cupcakes. In fact, they've already been given a nickname "Boozy Cupcakes"...so I'll probably be whipping these up again soon.

final verdict: Would I make these again? Yes, definitely, but maybe with a few tweaks: possibly a lighter chocolate cupcake, and I would mix the Crown Royal frosting a little longer to try and spread out the whiskey flavouring.

Crown Royal whiskey cupcakes (aka Boozy Cupcakes)
source: adapted from Java Cupcake's Crown Royal Reserve Cupcakes
printer-friendly version

ingredients:

Crown Royal chocolate cupcakes:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Crown Royal Canadian whiskey
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
1 egg
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Crown Royal frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces cream cheese
1 pound powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons Crown Royal Canadian whiskey

directions:

cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line standard-sized cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the Crown Royal and cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Bring the mixture just to a boil and then remove from heat. Set aside to cool
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream and milk in a medium bowl.
4. Slowly pour 2-3 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour the rest of the chocolate mixture in and whisk until combined.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
6. Make a well in the flour and pour in the wet mixture. Whisk until smooth.
7. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full. 
8. Bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack.
9. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan and placing them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Cool completely before frosting.

frosting:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese. 
2. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat on high until smooth. 
3. Add the salt and beat on high for 3-4 minutes. 
4. Add the Crown Royal and mix on medium high speed until well integrated.

Pipe (or slather) frosting onto cooled cupcakes.

Cupcakes taste best the day of or one day after they're made. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Yields: 1 dozen cupcakes