Egg Nog Cupcakes – YUM!!

I had a wild hair to create some yummy holiday cupcakes the other day…the only problem is what to create!??!! Then, later that night I was watching Cupcake Wars on TLC and one of the gals made some egg nog cupcakes. I LOVE egg nog and thought…hmmm, I bet I can create some delicious egg nog cuppies! And they WERE delicious!! So I thought, in the holiday spirit I would share my yummy recipe!! Now, before you write it down, there is another one I saw online here that uses oil and rum…probably super moist, but I really prefer the flavor butter adds to cake and I don’t like rum or even have it on hand. So, my recipe won’t include those ingredients. I used my vanilla cake recipe and adapted it to become a virgin egg nog flavored cuppie…
Jessicakes Egg Nog Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 cup cake flour (3.5 oz)
3/4 cup all purpose flour (3.5 oz)
3/4 cup white sugar (5.25 oz)
1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter (1 cube – 4 oz)
2 eggs
1 cup egg nog (full fat – 8 oz)
1 Tbsp vanilla

Mixing:
Put all dry ingredients into mixer and wisk to combine. Add butter and 1/4 cup of egg nog (you might have to add a touch more if you need to) and mix with paddle attachment for 2-3 min until well incorporated and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add egg nog and mix for another minute or two on medium until smooth. Put batter in cupcake liners up to 1/4″ from the top (it’s a bit runny) and bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes. Makes about 15 cupcakes.

I use Rose Levy’s mixing method and it creates a bit more denser cupcakes which I prefer!! If you like a lighter fluffier cupcakes, then use the creaming butter/sugar together method before adding eggs and dry ingredients.

Filling:
I used Aarti’s recipe here for inspiration for a custard like pudding filling for the egg nog cupcake. I thought it would enhance the egg nog flavor. Here is how I used her recipe to come up with my own egg nog custard.
2 cups egg nog
3 yolks
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
7 oz white chocolate, chopped
Pinch salt
To mix: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the egg nog, yolks and vanilla Stir in the sugar, cornstarch, chocolate and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then immediately remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Mixture should be very thick! Cover the surface of pudding with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill for 3 hours, until set. Core out cupcake and squirt filling into each before topping with buttercream.

OH YUM! This could be the best pie too!!!

Frosting:
Use your favorite vanilla buttercream recipe and add some of the egg nog/white chocolate custard/filling to flavor it…simple! Then, top with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!! You of course don’t need the filling because the cupcakes were great without it…but, if you want that extra kick, go for the filling!!

Happy Holidays!!