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    Home » Dessert

    Chocolate-Whiskey Cupcakes

    Published: Aug 18, 2012 · Modified: Jan 3, 2023 by thekitchenprep · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Chocolate Whiskey Cupcakes! Deeply chocolatey with a kick from whiskey in both the cake and buttercream, this is one dessert that you'll want to save for the 21+ crowd!

    This may shock you {as it tends to surprise most people}, but I - a self proclaimed frill wearing, Lilly Pulitzer loving, girlie girl - kinda sorta have a thing for whiskey.

    Yep, it's true.

    I discovered this affinity during a college football game many {many} years ago when a guy friend condescendingly offered me a sip of his whiskey and Coke, fully expecting me to hack and gag and carry on like a sissy. Much to his surprise, I took a gulp, handed back his plastic cup and said, "Mmm. What is that?" {Innocent little me.}

    Ever since then, while the girls at happy hour were ordering Appletinis and Vodka Sodas, Whiskey & Coke became my signature drink. {I've since dabbled in Scotch, too, but that's another story.}

    I have no idea why I enjoy the taste so much, but I do.

    You can imagine my excitement when I had the opportunity to incorporate one of my favorite libations into a birthday dessert for my friend's hubby's 30th birthday. I almost squealed with delight when she told me that he loves chocolate {my hubs HATES chocolate} and thoroughly enjoys whiskey. I knew just what to make.

    Chocolate-Whiskey Cupcakes

    Yes.

    I'm considering making this my go-to chocolate cake recipe {maybe subbing out the whiskey with something more family-friendly for other events. Maybe.} because they were so fluffy, chocolatey and delicious.

    The Chocolate-Whiskey Buttercream was the perfect way to enjoy the deep whiskey flavor without the burn. And the Chocolate-Marshmallow-Whiskey-Caramel-Bacon Brittle I added as a finishing touch?

    Well that, my friends, will be getting it's own post.

    I know wine and chocolate is the lady-like thing to enjoy, but I don't care. Put these in front of me and I will tear into them with reckless abandon...and I don't care who sees it.

    Some days you just need to say, "Keep the Pinot Grigio. Pass the Jack."

    Chocolate Whiskey Cupcakes

    The Kitchen Prep
    Chocolate Whiskey Cupcakes! Deeply chocolatey with a kick from whiskey in both the cake and buttercream, this is one dessert that you'll want to save for the 21+ crowd!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 dozen

    Ingredients
      

    For Cupcakes

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • ¾ cups cocoa powder
    • 2 cups brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ cup strong-brewed coffee
    • ½ cup whiskey such as Jack Daniels
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • ½ cup vegetable oil

    For Chocolate Whiskey Buttercream

    • 1 cup butter 2 sticks, softened
    • 3 tablespoons whiskey
    • 4¼ cups powdered sugar
    • ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled
    • 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

    Instructions
     

    Make Cupcakes

    • Preheat oven to 350°F Prepare 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
    • Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and whisk until just combined. (Do not over-mix.)
    • Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling just under ¾ of the way full. (These tend to rise a lot for me, so keeping them at just under ¾ creates a nice dome without too much of a "muffin top".)
    • Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.
      Let cool completely before frosting.

    Make Chocolate Whiskey Buttercream

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat  butter and whiskey with the paddle attachment until light and creamy.
    • Slowly add confectioners' sugar one cup at a time until fully incorporated, but not too dry. Beat in melted chocolate.
    • Add cream or milk one tablespoon at a time until frosting reaches desired consistency.
    • Fill a piping bag fitted with desired tip with frosting, and decorate cupcakes. (Or just slather it on. No one will care if they're not pretty. 😉 )

    Chocolate-Whiskey Cupcakes
    Adapted from Style Me Pretty and Originally from Fields of Cake
    Makes 2 dozen cupcakes when filled just under ¾ of the way

    2 cups all purpose flour
    ¾ cup cocoa powder
    2 cups brown sugar
    2 tsp. baking soda
    1 tsp. baking powder
    1 tsp. kosher salt
    2 eggs
    ½ cup strong brewed coffee
    ½ cup Jack Daniels {or your favorite} Whiskey
    1 cup buttermilk
    ½ cup vegetable oil

    « Peanut Butter & Dulce de Leche Frozen Yogurt
    Cheddar-Jalapeño Beer Bread »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anonymous says

      August 20, 2012 at 2:59 am

      I had the opportunity to eat these cupcakes and they were hands down delicious! Awesome recipe! Great cupcakes! Thanks again 🙂

      Reply
    2. JulieD says

      August 20, 2012 at 5:55 pm

      Wow, your cupcakes are so pretty!!!

      Reply
    3. The Kitchen Prep says

      August 21, 2012 at 2:47 am

      Aww, thanks for the compliments! 🙂

      Reply
    4. AmyP says

      August 24, 2012 at 9:02 pm

      You do really beautiful work! Will you be posting a recipe for your Chocolate-Marshmallow-Whiskey-Caramel-Bacon Brittle? It sounds over-the-top good! I'm going to make some of these cupcakes and would love to include the brittle on top. It adds such a professional look.

      Reply
    5. The Kitchen Prep says

      August 24, 2012 at 10:28 pm

      Thank you, Amy! I will definitely be posting the recipe for the brittle... that was actually the plan this week but Friday snuck up on me and it completely slipped my mind! Keep an eye out for it next week. 🙂

      Reply
    6. Anonymous says

      September 04, 2012 at 2:15 am

      How many chocolate chips do I melt for the frosting? Thanks!

      Reply
    7. The Kitchen Prep says

      September 04, 2012 at 12:56 pm

      Hi there! 1/4 cups chocolate chips should do the trick, a little more if you'd like it a little more chocolatey. I fixed the typo in the recipe. Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply
    8. Tobias says

      September 26, 2012 at 12:13 pm

      damn, i have no idea how much a cup is... i really want to try baking those... how much is it in litres? poor german me doesn't know.

      Reply
    9. The Kitchen Prep says

      September 26, 2012 at 12:23 pm

      Hi Tobias, 1 cup = 240 mililiters... not sure if that helps or not! (I actually had a conversion chart printed on the back of my blog's business cards for that very purpose!) If you do make them, please be sure to let me know how they turn out! Danke! 😉

      Reply
    10. Eden Chantell says

      March 14, 2013 at 5:13 pm

      How many cupcakes does that make?

      Reply
    11. thekitchenprep says

      March 14, 2013 at 9:44 pm

      @Eden - I believe it made approximately 24 cupcakes, depending on the size of the pan/liners you use.

      Reply
    12. Eden Chantell says

      March 14, 2013 at 10:52 pm

      Okay thank you can't wait to try them

      Reply
    13. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2013 at 12:58 pm

      Dianna-
      I'm doing desserts for my brother's engagement party. He and his fiance also love whiskey. Do you think I could use my mini cupcake tins for this?

      -Leah

      Reply
    14. thekitchenprep says

      June 06, 2013 at 3:28 pm

      @ Leah - You should be able to turn these into minis. Just be sure not to overfill them and remember that it'll make about double the yield, possibly a bit more. Hope they love them and let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
    15. Katheryn says

      June 12, 2013 at 9:31 pm

      These look great! I am going to make them for my dad for father's day, I am not a whiskey drinker but he sure is! His favorite is Crown and I was wondering if that would taste good also or if I should just stick to the Jack?

      Reply
    16. thekitchenprep says

      June 13, 2013 at 2:24 am

      @Katheryn - Thank you! These had a strong taste of Jack, so if your Dad would be able to tell the difference I'd use what he enjoys! I think they'll turn out just fine with Crown. :)Hope he loves them!

      Reply
    17. Alyssam says

      August 10, 2013 at 1:24 am

      Would not adding the coffee majorly affect the texture or taste of the cupcakes?

      Reply
    18. thekitchenprep says

      August 10, 2013 at 2:59 am

      @Alyssam - The coffee in the recipe doesn't actually give any coffee flavor, it just gives them a richer and more intense chocolate flavor, believe it or not! If you'd rather not use it, you could replace it with the same amount of water, but I suggest giving it a try! I don't think the texture would be affected by the substitution.

      Reply
    19. Anonymous says

      September 05, 2013 at 12:41 pm

      Hello...the coffee part confuses me. Do I brew the coffee first? And what kind of coffee do I use?

      Reply
    20. thekitchenprep says

      September 05, 2013 at 12:57 pm

      @Anonymous - Hi there! Yes, brew the coffee first. I just use my morning coffee which happens to be espresso that I brew like regular coffee in my drip coffee, but you may use whatever you have on hand. If you prefer to leave the coffee out, just use water, however, I think the coffee adds to the chocolate flavor.

      Reply
    21. Anonymous says

      September 06, 2013 at 3:52 am

      Ok great...thank you!!

      Reply
    22. Anonymous says

      October 17, 2013 at 6:25 pm

      Hi Dianna,
      I acutally used your recipe (swaping the whiskey for burbon) and made some amazing dark chocolate burboun cake pops. Thanks for posting such a yummy and versitile recipe.
      -Leah

      Reply
    23. Christina says

      November 04, 2013 at 9:51 pm

      I always make these with Crown Royal Maple, so not only does Crown work just fine but you'd be surprised how well the hint of maple works with chocolate.

      Reply
    24. Vera Zecevic says

      November 11, 2013 at 10:31 pm

      I've featured this recipe on my blog, hoping that you don't mind, but if you do, please contact me and I'll remove it. All the best.

      Reply
    25. Anonymous says

      February 06, 2014 at 3:20 pm

      Can I use coke in place of the coffee?

      Reply
    26. thekitchenprep says

      February 06, 2014 at 6:26 pm

      @Anonymous - Hm, I've never tried, but I'm assuming it would work. It would probably make them even sweeter, though, so you might want to reduce the sugar content a little? Let me know if it works out for you!

      Reply
    27. Anonymous says

      February 20, 2014 at 4:00 pm

      Would you please post a link to the Chocolate-Marshmallow-Whiskey-Caramel-Bacon Brittle recipe? Both sound incredibly yummy but can't find the recipe for the brittle. Thanks so much.

      Reply
    28. thekitchenprep says

      February 20, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      @Anonymous - The "brittle" ended up being "bark", maybe that's why it was hard to find it! 🙂 Here you go: https://www.thekitchenprepblog.com/2012/09/chocolate-caramel-marshmallow-whiskey.html Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
    29. carriction says

      March 12, 2014 at 2:04 pm

      I made these over the weekend, and they came out perfectly. I don't like whiskey as a rule, but these really brought out a lovely smokey flavour without any of the bitterness that usually makes whiskey taste unpleasant. I think my muffin pans must be smaller than yours, because I had a lot of batter left over after filling all my pans. The leftovers worked beautifully as a miniature loaf cake that we ate still hot from the oven.

      Reply
    30. Jocasta Lousia Upton says

      June 24, 2014 at 10:11 am

      hiya this may be a stupid question buuut: with the strong brewed coffee, i dont have an expresso machine would a strong brewed filter coffee do?

      Reply
    31. thekitchenprep says

      June 24, 2014 at 12:10 pm

      @Jocasta - I don't have an espresso machine, either! I just use double the amount of coffee grounds when I brew my coffee to make sure it's strong. You can also use regular brewed coffee, though the flavor will not be quite as deep.

      Reply
    32. Jocasta Lousia Upton says

      June 24, 2014 at 12:26 pm

      sorry as well when we say two sticks of butter how many grams?

      Reply
    33. thekitchenprep says

      June 24, 2014 at 12:38 pm

      @Jocasta - Two sticks of butter is equal to 8 ounces or 226 grams.

      Reply
    34. Anonymous says

      February 18, 2015 at 4:19 pm

      Any advice on how to alter the recipe for high altitude? These look amazing!

      Reply
    35. thekitchenprep says

      February 18, 2015 at 4:39 pm

      @Anonymous - Thank you! I'm not an expert on high altitude baking since I live in below-sea-level Florida, but this article from King Arthur Flour looks like it has a lot of good info! Hope it helps! http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html

      Reply
    36. Anonymous says

      February 18, 2015 at 4:59 pm

      Perfect, thank you!!

      Reply
    37. Anonymous says

      April 03, 2015 at 9:35 pm

      hi there, how much cups or grams of butter do I use for the frosting ? thank you

      Reply
    38. Anonymous says

      April 10, 2015 at 9:08 am

      Hi I was just wondering if I had to adjust anything to make it into a cake? I poverty the idea of using this recipe plus the icing and then adding the bark on top. But as a cake. Would that be possible?

      Reply
    39. Anonymous says

      May 05, 2015 at 12:16 pm

      Hi, Thank you for posting such a delicious recipe. I would like to try it out for a friend's birthday party coming up this Saturday. Wanted to ask if I can replace the oil with unsalted butter? If yes, then what would the quantity be? Thanks a lot!

      Reply
    40. thekitchenprep says

      May 05, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      @Anonymous - Hi there! I've never tried the recipe with oil, but according to a substitution chart I looked up online, you should be able to replace 1 cup of butter with 10 tablespoons of canola oil. I can't vouch for the results, but you're welcome to give it a try and report back! 🙂 Hope they turn out great!

      Reply
    41. Anonymous says

      May 05, 2015 at 2:02 pm

      Hi Dianna, Thank you very much for your prompt response. 🙂 Apologies for not being clear in my earlier question. I meant to ask if I could replace the 1/2 cup of vegetable oil mentioned in your recipe of the cupcake batter with unsalted butter. Could you please advise. Regards, Vipasha

      Reply
    42. thekitchenprep says

      May 05, 2015 at 6:01 pm

      Vipasha - That makes perfect sense! That's what I get for trying to answer a question while tending to a baby. 🙂 I think the texture of the cake would turn out a bit differently, however, I think it would work. I read on another site that the butter can be melted and used in place of oil in equal proportions. So for this recipe, you'd need 1/2 cup melted butter. Again, I've never tried this, so I can't say it would work for sure!

      Reply
    43. Anonymous says

      May 10, 2015 at 6:10 am

      Hi Dianna, I just wanted to thank you for posting this very easy and fool proof recipe. I made these yesterday and they were an instant hit at the party! Everyone devoured them in a matter of seconds 🙂 I added some Baileys Irish Cream in the buttercream frosting instead of the Whiskey and it was absolutely heaven. I am making another batch as i write this message since i got none for myself... this batch will be only mine 🙂

      Reply
    44. Diana Delagarza says

      June 11, 2015 at 9:23 am

      Hello Dianna, I was wondering if you could tell me if you used sweetened or unsweetened cocoa powder?

      Reply
      • thekitchenprep says

        June 12, 2015 at 12:18 pm

        Hi Diana, I used unsweetened. Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
      • Diana Delagarza says

        June 13, 2015 at 8:32 am

        Thank you so much for answering my question! Making them for father's day!

        Reply
    45. Anonymous says

      July 17, 2015 at 1:57 am

      Hi! I was wondering about making it as a cake as well and doing a layer cake with the batter and frosting. Just curious if anyone has tried that!? My husband's birthday is coming up and that would be perfect!

      Reply
    46. thekitchenprep says

      July 20, 2015 at 7:58 pm

      @Anonymous - I've never tried, but I'm sure you could! Either that or a sheet cake as I'm not sure there's enough batter for several layers unless you double the recipe. I use cupcake/cake recipes interchangeably all the time, just take into account that your baking time will vary depending on the size of the pan you use, etc. Hope the husband enjoys it!

      Reply
    47. Anonymous says

      July 21, 2015 at 9:55 pm

      Awesome, thank you! I will let you know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
    48. Anonymous says

      February 20, 2016 at 3:32 pm

      I love how you say that MAYBE you'll change it to something more family friendly for other event...hehehehe... Gonna try making these for my Dad's 70th, with some Bushmills...it's his favorite. Excited to try these!! ~~Julie G.

      Reply
    49. Juliek says

      January 02, 2017 at 8:11 am

      Made with gf flour, soy milk & Nuttlex. Amazing.

      Reply
    50. Chefnizle says

      July 31, 2017 at 8:27 am

      What would I replace or add if I wanted to not have alcohol in them

      Reply
      • thekitchenprep says

        August 02, 2017 at 12:10 pm

        You should be able to replace the liquid portion made up by the whiskey with more coffee (I haven't tried this), but the flavor will be different, of course. They'd be more of a plain chocolate cupcake -- which is still a good thing!

        Reply

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    Hi! I'm Dianna. I used to think cooking had to be complicated to be good, so I never considered it "my thing." Now I know that's far from true, and my mission is to create & share easy, mouthwatering recipes - from weeknight dinners to simple bites for entertaining - that anyone can make! Join me in my South Florida kitchen and let's get cooking!

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