Decadent Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes
Decadent Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes
Eggnog is a holiday staple, usually sold during the winter months. Integrate that delicious, creamy, spicy flavor into dessert with my Decadent Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes! These moist little cakes taste like a warm glass of nog, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. They're also topped with an unbelievable Caramel Eggnog Frosting!
Christmas time is here! The warm, fuzzy feeling of the holidays is upon us. Now is the chance to put on wool socks, snuggle up by the fireplace, and have a warm cup of eggnog. So many good feelings! If you are a lover of eggnog like me, you might think of new and interesting ways to use it. I've found the eggnog works so well in baking! Holiday baking is more flavorful now that I've begun using eggnog.
My absolute favorite eggnog recipe is these decadent Decadent Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes! I use real eggnog in both the batter and the frosting, along with tons of other winter warming spices. Trust me, this is the best use for nog aside from sipping it! If you're a caramel lover, you're sure to thoroughly love this Southern Salted Caramel Cake, Caramel Biscoff Cookie Butter Iced Latte, Salted Caramel Apple Crisp, and Vegan Baked Cinnamon Caramel Apples.
What Makes theses Decadent Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes Amazing!
When it comes to any cupcake, I'm convinced that the thing that makes them stand out is how completely moist and fluffy they are. In fact, I tend to make my cupcakes super light and fluffy, while ensuring that they still hold up well although they are crumbly. It's the crumbly, moist feel of any cupcake that melts my heart away.
For this Caramel Eggnog Cupcake recipe, the things that also make it the best are: the beautiful marriage of buttery and sweet caramel flavors as well as the homemade caramel sauce, which is so easy!
How Do I Use Eggnog in Baking?
Eggnog can be used in baking the same as buttermilk, plant milk, or any other liquid. It not only adds moisture, but it also adds tons of flavor. Eggnog is not known for being bland.
Simply measure out the same amount of eggnog for milk in any cake recipe for flavorful results. It is delicious when used in cakes, brownies, cheesecake, and more!
Tricks for Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes
For storing, these cupcakes are best kept if stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (unfrosted) and 3-4 days when frosted. Also, they can be frozen for up to 6 months when unfrosted and thawed.
To make ahead, bake these cupcakes the day before and let them cool, tightly wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. The buttercream frosting can also be made prior and tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge as well. When ready to serve, let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, frost, and enjoy!
This recipe is quick and easy. Simply combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet ingredients in a mother. Add the two together, and your batter is ready for portioning and baking!
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you're making caramel eggnog (or any flavor) cupcakes at home:
- Avoid over-mixing the batter after you combine the wet and dry ingredients. This can cause your cupcakes to become dense and chewy, as it over activates the natural gluten protein in the flour.
- Let the eggs and butter come to room temperature so they smoothly work into the batter.
- Always let your cupcakes cool completely before frosting! Otherwise, that buttercream will slide right off into a messy pool of caramel goo.
- This recipe makes 12 cupcakes, but you can easily scale it up or down to make a double or half batch.
- When frosting cupcakes, I like to use a pastry bag with a star tip to get those beautiful swirls of frosting. However, if you don't have a pastry bag, you can make just as elegant cupcakes with an offset spatula or even a butter knife!
Ingredients in Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes
Only a few classic cupcake ingredients are used for these spiced cakes.
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
- 2 large eggs, room temp.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup high-quality eggnog
For the Caramel Eggnog Frosting:
- 4-5 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
- 2-3 tablespoons high-quality eggnog
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce, homemade or store-bought
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
How to Make Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes
To Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prep your cupcake pan with liners + spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and sea salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer (using a paddle handle attachment), beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed using a rubber spatula.
Add the eggs, eggnog, and vanilla, reducing the speed a little at this point.
Now, reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. NO OVER-MIXING!
Scoop the batter into each cupcake liner (¾ full) and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for the FIRST 5 minutes. Then reduce temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for another 14-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
Once done, turn off the oven and keep cupcakes inside with the oven door slightly open for about 2 minutes before taking them out.
Remove from oven and let them cool COMPLETELY before frosting.
To Make the Frosting:
Simply add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer & beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and smooth.
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, caramel, pinch of cinnamon, and eggnog, continuing to mix on medium speed until you reach the desired consistency.
**Add more eggnog (1 tablespoon at a time if too thick) or powdered sugar (1 tablespoon at a time for more thickness).*
Add buttercream/frosting to a piping bag and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. For a fancy look, top cupcakes with caramel popcorn and drizzle with additional caramel sauce, if desired.
Bon Appetit!
Other Recipes You'll Love
If you love these Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes, you will also love these holiday favorites!
- White Chocolate Cheesecake with Cranberries
- Sweet Potato Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze
- Grandma's Dutch Apple Pie
- Fluffy Overnight Apple Butter Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls
- Creamy Homemade Vegan Eggnog
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
Decadent Caramel Eggnog Cupcakes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES:
- 1 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsps baking powder
- ¾ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 6 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
- 2 large eggs, room temp.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup high quality eggnog
CARAMEL EGGNOG FROSTING:
- 4-5 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
- 2-3 Tbsps high quality eggnog
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsps caramel sauce, homemade or storebought
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
Instructions
TO MAKE CUPCAKES:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prep your cupcake pan with liners + spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and sea salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (using a paddle handle attachment), beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed using a rubber spatula.
- Add the eggs, eggnog, and vanilla, reducing the speed a little at this point.
- Now, reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. NO OVER-MIXING!
- Scoop the batter into each cupcake liner (¾ full) and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for the FIRST 5 minutes. Then reduce temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for another 14-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
- Once done, turn off oven and keep cupcakes inside with the oven door slightly open for about 2 minutes before taking them out.
- Remove from oven and Let them cool COMPLETELY before frosting.
TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
- Simply add the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer & beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, caramel, pinch of cinnamon and eggnog, continuing to mix on medium speed until you reach the desired consistency. **Add more eggnog (1 tablespoon at a time if too thick) or powdered sugar (1 Tbsps at a time for more thickness).*
- Add buttercream/frosting to a piping bag and pie onto cooled cupcakes. For fancy look, top cupcakes with caramel popcorn and drizzle with additional caramel sauce, if desired.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Best kept if stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (unfrosted) and 3-4 days when frosted. Also, can be frozen for up to 6 months when unfrosted and thawed.
- MAKE AHEAD: You can always bake these cupcakes the night or day before and let them cool, tightly wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. The buttercream frosting can also be made prior and tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge as well. When ready to serve, let cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, frost, and enjoy!
- OIL: If you want to substitute the melted butter, you can always use vegetable or canola oil.
- HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE: To make your caramel sauce from scratch, check out this recipe!
- STORAGE (CARAMEL SAUCE): Leftover caramel sauce can be stored in a tightly sealed mason jar for up to two weeks. When ready to use, simply reheat sauce in the microwave at 15 second intervals until softened and at room temp.
Nutrition
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