Description
Light vanilla cupcakes spiked with bourbon, a mint-bright blackberry center, and a cloudlike buttercream finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 cup (190 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (59 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (79 ml) bourbon
- 1/3 cup (79 ml) milk, room temperature (any kind)
Blackberry filling
- 12 oz fresh or thawed blackberries
- 2 Tbsp (24 g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp (9 g) all-purpose flour (or cornstarch)
- 6 large mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 ml) bourbon
Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 4 cups (520 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) cold heavy cream
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5 ml) bourbon (optional)
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until a bit lighter in color (about 1–2 minutes). Beat in the sour cream until smooth.
- In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add half the dry mix and half the milk to the wet ingredients and stir gently. Add the remaining dry mix and milk, then fold in the bourbon. Don’t overmix — a few streaks are fine; the batter will be slightly thin.
- Divide batter among liners so they are about two-thirds full. Bake 14–16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare the blackberry filling
- Combine the blackberries, sugar and flour in a small saucepan. Stir in lemon juice, bourbon and chopped mint.
- Cook over medium heat, mashing gently, until the fruit breaks down and the mixture bubbles and thickens (about 5–7 minutes). Remove from the heat and chill until cold — it will continue to set as it cools.
Core and fill the cupcakes
- Use a cupcake corer or small knife to remove a small plug from the center of each cooled cupcake.
- Spoon or pipe cooled blackberry filling into each cavity; reserve any extra for drizzling.
Whip the frosting
- Beat the cold, cubed butter on medium–high speed until fluffy (3–5 minutes), scraping the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar in three additions, alternating with the cream, vanilla and bourbon. Once everything’s incorporated, increase speed and whip 2–3 minutes until light and silky. Adjust cream or sugar to reach the texture you like.
- Pipe or spread the frosting over the filled cupcakes. Garnish with a spoonful of extra blackberry sauce and a fresh mint leaf or blackberry, if desired.
Notes
- Notes & tips
- Batter texture: this recipe produces a thinner batter than some cupcakes — that’s normal. Stir the batter from the bottom before scooping to ensure even mixing.
- Sour cream swap: replace with Greek yogurt if preferred. Full-fat sour cream also works.
- Non-alcoholic option: omit bourbon in all components. Use milk in the cupcakes and water in the filling; skip bourbon in the frosting.
- If your filling seems too runny, simmer a couple extra minutes; if it’s too thick, thin with a splash of water or juice.
- For cleaner piping, chill the cupcakes briefly after filling so the frosting holds its shape.
- Storage & make-ahead
- Room temp: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days (avoid very hot/humid conditions).
- Refrigeration: Keep in the fridge up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
- Freezing: To freeze, flash-freeze unfrosted cupcakes on a tray 15 minutes, then transfer to airtight containers for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator, then fill and frost before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 438
- Sugar: 51.3g
- Sodium: 103.8g
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 63g
- Fiber: 1.6g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 65mg