Bourbon Cupcake Recipe + Buttercream & Bacon

January 30, 2014 By Nicole Harris 50 Comments

Jump to Recipe

If you are looking for a cupcake that adults will love or better yet the men in your life will enjoy. This Bourbon Cupcake Recipe is for you!

Bourbon Spiked Cupcakes topped with Maple Buttercream Frosting and Bourbon Maple Glazed Bacon Sprinkles.
Get Cupcake Drunk on these Sweet, Salty and Boozy Treats!

This post may contain affiliate links. See my Disclosure Policyfor more info. Follow WonkyWonderful on Pinterestto stay up to date on all of the new recipes!

Boozy Cupcakes with Whiskey

These cupcakes are perfect for Game Day or Father’s Day. The men in your life will love this bourbon, maple and bacon combo!

But these are not just for the men. Ladies, you will love them too!

Just a friendly reminder: These cupcakes are for adults {21 years+}. All of the alcohol does not burn off during the baking process.

Eat Responsibly. Friends don’t let friends eat cupcakes and drive.

I used Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey in my cupcakes. Feel free to use your favorite bourbon.

These cupcakes have a subtle whiskey flavor. If you want them to pack more of a punch, just exchange 1-2 tablespoons of the milk for additional bourbon whiskey. Then you will have one saucy cupcake!

This Bourbon Spiked Cupcake Recipe is the spirited base. Don’t forget to check out the recipes for the toppings:

Bourbon Maple Glazed BaconandMaple Buttercream Frosting

I adapted the Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe from Annie’s Noms.

I ditched the vanilla and added some booze to make my Drunken Bourbon Cupcake Recipe!

Don’t you just want to dive face first into that mile high Buttercream!?!

Bourbon Cupcakes

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

If you are looking for a cupcake that adults will love or better yet the men in your life will enjoy. This Bourbon Cupcake Recipe is for you!

Bourbon Cupcakes topped with Maple Buttercream Frosting and Bourbon Maple Glazed Bacon Sprinkles.
Get Cupcake Drunk on these Sweet, Salty and Boozy Treats!

Ingredients

1½ Cups AP Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Stick Salted Butter, room temp
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
6 Tb Whole Milk
6 Tb Bourbon Whiskey

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°
Sift together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. (2-3 minutes)
Add the eggs and milk. Mix until incorporated.
Add the bourbon and mix.
Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
Place liners into 2 cupcake pans. Fill liners 2/3-3/4 full.
Bake for 22-24 minutes. Or until light golden brown and cupcakes spring back to the touch.
Let cool in pans for 1-2 minutes. Then transfer to cooling racks.

Top cupcakes with Buttercream and Bacon

Maple Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Bourbon Maple Glazed Bacon

Notes

This recipe yields 12-14 cupcakes.
For a stronger bourbon flavor, exchange 1-2 tablespoons of the milk for additional whiskey.

Nutrition Information

Yield 12Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 212Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 52mgSodium 162mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 0gSugar 15gProtein 3g

Nutritional information on WonkyWonderful is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

And if the guys are too busy watching the game to notice these gorgeous cupcakes.

I say: Forget Them! Dig in and let them hope that there are some still left after the game.

You will want to peek at these recipes:

Maple Bourbon Glazed Bacon

Maple Buttercream Frosting

Fig Upside Down Cake

Previous Post: « Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Next Post: Green Smoothie Recipe – Grapefruit and Kale »

Reader Interactions

Comments

NewsAnchorToHomemaker says
January 30, 2014 at

You are actually making me want to bake. I love sweet and salty, these look amazing…a real hubby pleaser, too!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  January 30, 2014 at
  
  Haha, baking isn’t my favorite activity either! The hubs will definitely love these cupcakes!
  Reply
  See Also
  Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe on Food52 My Top 10 Recipes of 2017 Simple Strawberry Syrup Recipe 100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
January 30, 2014 at

Wow!!! I have been waiting so patiently for you to post these cupcakes and am so happy they are finally here! They look AMAZING! I need these in my life immediately 🙂
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  January 30, 2014 at
  
  Thanks Chris! Too bad you live on the other side of the country because I gave all of these cupcakes away to friends. I needed to get them out of my house immediately after taking the photos 😀
  Reply
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
January 30, 2014 at

This just may be the most perfect cupcake ever Nicole! Oh my goodness I want one SOOO bad! Pinned!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  January 30, 2014 at
  
  Thanks Trish! I’m not one that gets overly excited about cupcakes. But these were AhhhMazing! I had to give them all away to friends before I ate the entire batch! Thanks for pinning 😀
  Reply
Lindsay @ Life, Love and Sugar says
January 31, 2014 at

These sound fantastic! Maple, bacon and whiskey – yum!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  February 2, 2014 at
  
  Thanks Lindsay! It is an amazing trio 😀
  Reply
Hannah says
February 2, 2014 at

Hi! Mine turned out a little sour…. Any tips? 🙂
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  February 2, 2014 at
  
  Hey Hannah! Hmmm, the only thing I could think that could cause that is the mixing order. I was sure to fully mix the wet ingredients before adding the bourbon. That way alcohol isn’t being added directly to milk. Hope that helps 🙂
  Reply
Justine@CookingandBeer says
February 3, 2014 at

Yum! Your cupcakes combine 3 of my favorite things…cake, bacon and bourbon! Definitely adding this to my to-do list! Off to pin 😉
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  February 4, 2014 at
  
  A Triple Threat! Thanks, I hope you enjoy 😀
  Reply
Cookie says
February 25, 2014 at

Love this! I want to make this as a cake, will this work on a 9″ pan? any suggestions? Thank you!!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  February 25, 2014 at
  
  Yes Cookie, this recipe should work fine in a 9″ pan. You will need to just adjust the cooking time. I’m not sure how much longer it will take because I only made this as cupcakes. Enjoy 😀
  Reply
Vera Zecevic – Cupcakes Garden says
March 17, 2014 at

I’ve featured these cupcakes 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
- Nicole Harris says
  March 18, 2014 at
  
  Thanks for the feature, Vera! I appreciate it 🙂
  Reply
Tammy says
March 18, 2014 at

Just made these and they are amazing….I was hesitant at first but they have a great bourbon flavour without being overwhelming. I made the maple bourbon glazed bacon as well and it turned out perfect. I made a Maple Swiss meringue buttercream instead of the American style buttercream and I highly recommend it. Thanks so much for this great recipe!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  March 19, 2014 at
  
  I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe! I made a few batches while working on this recipe. The first couple batches had way too much alcohol … they were almost flammable. I’m glad to hear that I got the bourbon flavor right. And I’ll have to try the Maple Swiss Meringue Buttercream next time 🙂
  Reply
  - Melissa says
    April 19, 2014 at
    
    Hi Nicole, so I was going to make these with the “extra” bourbon that you suggested at the end of your recipe (substituting some of the milk for extra whiskey). Did you try out this option, and was that one of the ones that had too much alcohol for you? We love bourbon, but I don’t want them to be inedible…
    Reply
    See Also
    Kentucky Derby Pie Brownie Bars Recipe
    - Nicole Harris says
      April 19, 2014 at
      
      Hi Melissa! Yes, I did try it with extra bourbon. It was too much for me. If you want an extreme whiskey flavor … that is the way to go. For a light whiskey flavor, I would follow the recipe as written 🙂
      Reply
      - Melissa says
        April 22, 2014 at
        
        Thanks for replying so quickly! I made the recipe exactly as written and it was a HUGE success! These will definitely be made again in the future.
        I do think that real bourbon fans would appreciate a stronger bourbon flavor, so I will do the substitution the next time I’m making something to bring to poker night with the guys, but for a more diverse crowd, the recipe as written is fantastic.
      - Nicole Harris says
        April 23, 2014 at
        
        I’m so happy to hear that these cupcakes were a hit! I hope they enjoy the extra boozy ones next time 😀
Caity says
July 28, 2014 at

Hi Nicole!
I noticed in some of the pictures the cupcakes are drizzled with something! I was wondering if this was the glaze from the bacon or something else?
I am so excited to try out this recipe!
Thanks!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  July 28, 2014 at
  
  Hi Caity, That is actually maple syrup drizzled over the cupcakes. I hope you enjoy as much as I did!
  Reply
Amber says
August 14, 2014 at

These cupcakes are just what I’m looking for 🙂
Sound delicious, but i have a question. Is AP flour just plain flour? I’m from the UK and we just have plain flour or self raising? Also what kind of brown sugar do you use? Is it Muscovado, dark brown or light brown?
many thanks
Amber
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  August 16, 2014 at
  
  Hi Amber! Yes, AP flour is just regular all-purpose flour. And I used dark brown sugar. Enjoy 🙂
  Reply
Amber says
August 15, 2014 at

I made these last night, I swapped 2tp of milk for extra bourbon and they turned out lovely. Really tasty, light and fluffy. Fab Bourbon Maple Glazed Bacon recipe as well, I haven’t tried it before but ti works really well on these cupcakes.
Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  August 16, 2014 at
  
  Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes!
  Reply
Taylor says
September 23, 2014 at

Hi Nicole!
I’m obsessed and can’t wait to make these for a friends birthday! What kind of piping tip did you use for the icing??
Thank you!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  September 26, 2014 at
  
  Awesome! I used a large star tip to pipe the frosting on top. Enjoy!
  Reply
justin says
October 1, 2014 at

hi! Im really excited with this recipe. You think it would be ok to substitute Bourbon with beer?
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  October 3, 2014 at
  
  I’ve never tried it with beer. I know from my Guinness donut recipe that the bubbles may make the batter fluff up quite a bit. Let me know if you give it a try!
  Reply
Jessica says
October 19, 2014 at

I’m extremely excited to try these for my father in laws birthday tomorrow. I know the recipe calls for salted butter however, I have whole bunch of unsalted butter. Would it make a difference if I just use what I have in hand and maybe add a bit of salt or or maybe not add any salt? Or should I just buy a block of salted butter? Help!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  October 20, 2014 at
  
  Hi Jessica! I’m sorry I didn’t see you comment sooner. I hope the cupcakes turned out okay. I use salted or unsalted, depending what I have on hand. It is more of a personal preference.
  Reply
Geanna Granger says
January 17, 2015 at

Can you turn this into a cake instead of cupcakes?
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  January 21, 2015 at
  
  Yes, Geanna. I’m sure this will work as a standard cake. Cooking times will vary depending on cake pan.
  Reply
Kiesha says
June 24, 2015 at

if i wanted to double the recipe…would it be ok to just double all the measurements? (i’m new to baking)
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  June 29, 2015 at
  
  Hi Keisha! Yes, that should be fine. Enjoy! 😀
  Reply
Lainie says
July 25, 2015 at

Just tried these and I. Love. Them! Haven’t put the buttercream on yet, but I can’t wait.
Also…? Because I was feeling like it? I finely chopped some of the candied bacon and threw it into the cupcake batter. Because bacon. =))
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  July 29, 2015 at
  
  Yes, Bacon. Glad you enjoyed!
  Reply
Nicole says
June 8, 2016 at

Hey there! These look amazing! Quick question though; do you pack the brown sugar in to the cup? or just a regular scoop? Thanks!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  June 9, 2016 at
  
  Hi Nicole! I always pack the brown sugar. Enjoy!
  Reply
Amanda says
August 13, 2016 at

I’ve seen some alcoholic cupcakes served with an alcohol shot top infusers. Do you think that it would be a good idea to include one on these cupcakes? Or would that be too strong of flavor?
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  August 14, 2016 at
  
  I have not tried that personally. As far as too strong a flavor, I guess that depends on how much you enjoy the flavor of booze 😉
  Reply
Jennifer says
February 5, 2017 at

How do you think these would be if I browned the butter? I love browned butter cupcakes/cookies but have always used recipes that are already written that way. I’m going to be making these cupcakes for my best friends wedding and i want them to be the best they can! Thanks!
Reply
- Nicole Harris says
  February 15, 2017 at
  
  I think browned butter is always a great addition! However, since I have not attempted it I cannot say for sure how it will turn out. Since it is for such a special occasion I recommend doing a practice run 🙂
  Reply
Abigail Wenderson says
August 4, 2020 at

Wow, Bourbon cupcakes are so tempting, bourbon is one of my fav. ingredient in this cupcake and gonna try this recipe soon
Reply
Abigail Wenderson says
August 4, 2020 at

Wow, these cupcakes are so tempting, bourbon and cream are one of my fav ingredients in cupcakes, adding this recipe to my favorites.
Reply
Vamika says
February 7, 2022 at

Thanks for sharing this Bourbon Cupcake Recipe, seems so delicious . My kids gonna love this one .
Reply
Ralph @ Bakell Edible Glitter says
April 8, 2022 at

Hi !
Do you think this recipe could be adapted to a cake? Would you make any adjustments?
Cannot wait to make, thank you for sharing!
Reply