Sometimes you've just got to treat yo'self - and treat myself I did when I decided to make these decadent eggnog filled cupcakes for the holidays.
Baking has always been something that brings me joy, and I'm not about to cut myself off from that experience just because I no longer binge on sweets. I bake, save a cupcake or two for myself - which I eat slowly and mindfully, and then I gift the rest to friends or neighbors.
Don't you wish you lived near me?!
Don't you wish you lived near me?!
Trust me, these cupcakes would make the perfect gift for the foodie in your life, or anyone that appreciates something homemade. Just remember to keep them refrigerated and let the recipient know to eat them within 3 days.
During the livestream, rockstar mixologist Pamela Wiznitzer taught us how to make simple syrup at home, while co-host and founder of Jam Jar Bakery Abby Lavin showed us how to turn it into a glaze. These cupcakes are "iced" with a cinnamon & vanilla glaze that was inspired by the livestream demo. Be sure to watch the Maker's Mark #BoozyBaking recording here for a live demo on how to make simple syrup glaze.
I'm not going to lie, these cupcakes take some time to make, but if you enjoy the experience of baking as much as I do the time won't matter. Bonus - you can even make yourself an Old Fashioned to enjoy while the eggnog filling is cooling.
Let's get started...
To make the Gingerbread cupcakes you'll need:
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBSP ground ginger
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
6 TBSPs honey
3/4 cup water
Preheat over to 350 F. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners.
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves together and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, light brown sugar, eggs and honey until blended. Using a large spoon, stir in the flour mixture in 3 additions and water in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour and stirring until the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.
Fill each paper liner to about 1/4 inch below the top of the liner. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 min.
Cool the cupcakes on wire racks.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make your cinnamon vanilla simple syrup...
To make simple syrup you'll need:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean (You can order some, and a whole bunch of other amazing things from Sullivan Street Tea in NYC)
Add sugar and water to a small saucepan.
Slice vanilla bean down the center and scrape out the black seeds. Add the seeds and pod to the liquid mixture.
Freshly grate 1/8 of one cinnamon stick and add the remaining stick +1 to liquid in saucepan.
Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved completely and mixture has come to a boil, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Strain out the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean pod.
Pour 1/2 the simple syrup into a bottle or jar and refrigerate. Other half will be used to make glaze for cupcakes, so set it aside.
Next we will make the eggnog filling for the cupcakes...
To make the eggnog filling you'll need:
1/2 cup + 2 TBSP whole milk
2 TBSP Maker's Mark Bourbon
1/4 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 TBSP + 1 1/2 tsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
In medium saucepan, heat the milk and bourbon over low heat just until it is hot; it should measure about 150 F on a thermometer. Remove from heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until smooth.
Whisk in the flour until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture, then pour it back into the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens and just comes to a boil; be sure to stir often where the bottom and sides of the pan meet to prevent scorching.
Reduce heat to low and cook at a gentle boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat.
Stir in vanilla.
Press a piece of plastic wrap on to the surface of the pastry cream and use the tip of a knife to poke a few holes(I did 4) in the plastic wrap to let steam escape.
Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until cool to the touch and thickened further.
While the eggnog filling is cooling feel free to make yourself an Old Fashioned.
If you're not familiar with the drink recipe, I make my Old Fashioned with:
1tsp simple syrup (I like mine a little sweeter, but you can reduce to half that)
2- 3 dashes of bitters
2 parts of Maker's Mark Bourbon
Garnish with Amarena Fabbri cherries and lemon peel
Pour Maker's Mark Bourbon, bitters and simple syrup over ice in a glass and stir.
Strain over fresh ice and garnish with two Amarena Fabbri cherries and lemon peel.
Do a happy dance while you sip on it because it tastes so good.
When your bourbon infused pastry cream is finally cool and you have a smile on your face from the Old Fashioned you drank, it's time to fill the cupcakes.
I like to remove all of the paper liners, but you can leave them on if you choose.
How to fill the cupcakes:
Use a small knife to slice the top off each cupcake, (if you leave the liner on, this will be even with the paper liner); set the tops aside.
Cut a cone-shaped piece, about 1 once across and 1 inch deep, out of he middle of each cupcake.
Discard (or eat) the little pieces.
Spoon the cold eggnog filling into the hole in each cupcake.
Replace the cupcake tops; some of the filling may spread over the middle of the cupcakes when the tops are replaced. This is actually good because it will help keep the tops on the cupcakes.
Now it's time to make the glaze.
For the cinnamon vanilla glaze you'll need:
Half of the simple syrup you made earlier
About 2 TBSP of sugar
Place the simple syrup and sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until it is reduced by half. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low.
When syrup begins to stick to back of spoon, it is ready. When I made my glaze it took about 6 minutes for the syrup to reduce.
If visual instructions will make you feel more comfortable, you can watch the #BoozyBaking livestream recording around the 18:30 min mark to learn more from Abby Lavin about making simple syrup glaze.
The final touch will be using a pastry brush to glaze the top of each gingerbread cupcake - but act fast because the glaze hardens pretty quickly once removed from the heat.
These cupcakes need to be stored in the fridge because of the cream, and will stay fresh up to 3 days. I suggest serving them at room temp so the glaze isn't too hard after refrigeration.
These cupcakes need to be stored in the fridge because of the cream, and will stay fresh up to 3 days. I suggest serving them at room temp so the glaze isn't too hard after refrigeration.
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