Skrewball Liquor Infused Cupcakes

This post is sponsored by Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Make a batch of homemade Skrewball peanut butter whiskey liquor infused cupcakes. This dessert is topped with a boozy American style buttercream and salted caramel.

Booze infused cupcakes are the ultimate treat, especially if you're celebrating a birthday or special occasion. These liquor cupcakes are topped with a peanut butter whiskey infused buttercream and boozy caramel sauce.

This recipe will walk you through exactly how to make an entire cupcake from scratch, including the cake, frosting, and caramel. Plus, if you're new to baking, there are step by step photos and tips along the way.

You're going to love all the delicious flavor in these booze infused cupcakes! Plus, if you have any leftover peanut butter whiskey after making this recipe, you can check out my other Skrewball recipes and cocktails.

• Skrewball peanut butter whiskey: This ingredient is used in both the buttercream frosting and the caramel to give these cupcakes a boozy flavor.
• Cake flour: Don't be tempted to use all purpose flour for this recipe. Cake flour has a lower protein content, giving the cupcakes a fluffy and light texture that all purpose flour will not be able to achieve.
• Baking powder: This ingredient is the leavener that gives the cupcakes a nice rise in the oven. Be sure to check that your baking powder is fresh before baking.
• Fine sea salt: Salt, even in sweet desserts, is important to provide flavor. Fine sea salt easily distributes throughout the batter.
• Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil is important to keep the cupcakes moist. Don't substitute for another variety of oil.
• Egg/egg yolks: This recipe is for a yellow cake mix, which is known for having egg yolks in the recipe.
• Vanilla extract: A hint of vanilla makes all the difference in the flavor of the cupcakes.
• Granulated sugar: Sugar not only adds sweetness to the cupcakes but also provides a beautiful browning color once baked (this is called the Maillard reaction).
• Unsalted butter: The amount of salt in salted butter can vary from brand to brand, so it's best to stick with unsalted butter so you can control the amount of added salt.
• Lowfat buttermilk: Buttermilk helps with the flavor of the cupcakes as well as the crumb (texture).

There are a few more ingredients you'll need for the frosting and caramel, so be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full details and ingredient quantities.

1. First up, it's time to make the cupcakes. Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C). Next, line a light-colored muffin pan with paper liners, so they're prepped and ready to go once the batter is made.

2. Next, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt. This is an important step to ensure a light and fluffy cupcake.

3. Whisk together the liquid ingredients including vegetable oil, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.

4. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the wet ingredients in two batches, allowing the mixer to fully beat each addition.

5. Turn the mixer to low speed and add in half of the dry ingredients followed by half of the buttermilk. 

6. Repeat this process, alternating the flour and buttermilk. Mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Be careful not to overmix the batter, or it could become tough once the cupcakes are baked.

7. The batter will be slightly thick at this stage.

8. Evenly divide 3 tablespoons of batter into 16 paper liners.

9. Bake the cupcakes for 18 - 22 minutes until the tops are springy to the touch. You can test that the cupcakes are cooked by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are fully baked. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack until completely cooled.

10. Next, it's time to make the liquor infused caramel for the cupcakes. The first step is adding sugar and water to a medium sized heavy bottom saucepan. Cover with a lid, and allow to boil over medium heat until sugar is completely melted, about 2 - 4 minutes.

11. Remove the lid, and continue cooking until the sugar begins to darken. Do not stir the caramel at this point. If it appears to be burning, you can gently swirl it in the pan. Stirring the caramel could cause the sugar to crystallize and harden, which we don't want.

Once the sugar reaches an amber-colored liquid, about 4 - 6 minutes later, remove from heat.

12. To finish the caramel, whisk in the heavy cream. Be careful, the mixture will bubble and slightly splatter.

Add butter, one cube at a time, and stir until the caramel is smooth. Then, stir in Skrewball peanut butter whiskey and fine sea salt. Transfer caramel to a small bowl, and allow to cool to room temperature.

13. Next, it's time to make the peanut butter whiskey themed buttercream. Beat the butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes. You can scrape down the sides of the mixer as needed.

14. Add confectioners' sugar, then mix on medium-low speed until combined. Pour in the Skrewball peanut butter whiskey, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt, and mix again.

Set the mixer to medium-high speed, and allow the buttercream to beat for an additional 5 minutes until light and fluffy. This is the secret to a perfect American style buttercream.

15. Deflate the buttercream by hand using a silicone spatula. Press the buttercream around the side of the mixer bowl until the frosting has smoothed and large air bubbles have been pushed out. This helps the buttercream pipe smoothly.

16. To finish the cupcake recipe, use a Wilton 1M piping tip to pipe about 3 tablespoons of frosting onto each of the 16 cupcakes. 

17. Drizzle the boozy peanut butter whiskey caramel on top of each frosted cupcake. Optionally, top each cupcake with a pipette filled with Skrewball whiskey (as pictured in the photos). You could also place these mini alcohol bottles (50 ml) of Skrewball on top of each cupcake for a fun presentation.

These cupcakes can be eaten immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow the frosted cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving. The booze has a more prominent taste at room temperature.