Eggnog cupcakes are the perfect treat to celebrate this holiday season! They are easy to make and topped with the best eggnog buttercream frosting.
By far my favorite part of the holiday season is coming up with as many sweet dessert recipes as I possibly can. Time is running out and I still have so many Christmas-themed dessert ideas swimming in my head! Some of them may have to wait till next year, but at least I made it in time to share with you these delicious eggnog cupcakes! They are perfectly spiced with a moist, light texture, plus packed with a ton of eggnog flavor.
What You Need to Make Eggnog Cupcakes:
- All-purpose flour: Measure correctly: Lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with the flat side of a knife.
- Baking powder: A leavener that causes the cupcakes to rise and makes them extra light and soft.
- Salt: Crucial for bringing out flavors.
- Cinnamon + nutmeg: Classic eggnog spices.
- Vegetable oil: Oil gives these cupcakes a better texture than butter does. It also helps them stay moist and tender for a lot longer. And since there’s so much flavor added into the cupcakes you won’t miss the flavor of the butter.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is perfect.
- Eggs: Room temperature. Take your eggs out of the fridge 1 hour before using them, or to quickly bring eggs to room temperature place them in a bowl of lukewarm water for 5-10 minutes.
- Rum Extract: Rum extract does a lot to enhance the flavor of the eggnog.
- Eggnog: Homemade is recommended!!
- Sour cream: Sour cream is one of my favorite ingredients that adds a ton of moisture to baked goods. It can also be substituted with plain Greek yogurt if desired.
Homemade Eggnog:
If you want these cupcakes to be extra special then using homemade eggnog is key! It’s really easy to make and only takes about 10 minutes. Trust me, you definitely won’t regret taking this small extra step! I used my eggnog recipe and cut it in half, which was plenty.
How to Make Eggnog Cupcakes:
Preheat your oven to 350° and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Whisk the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
In a larger bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, sugar, room temperature eggs, rum extract, eggnog, and sour cream until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Pour the batter evenly into the cupcake liners about ¾ of the way full. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles and bake for 16-18 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Eggnog Buttercream Frosting:
Use a hand-held or stand mixer to cream salted butter, powdered sugar, eggnog, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum extract until smooth. If the frosting is too thin you can add more powdered sugar, if it’s too thick you can add more eggnog, as needed.
How to Frost Cupcakes:
To pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes you will need a piping bag and a piping tip, I used a Wilton 1M tip. Start in the center then work your way to the outside edge, slowly go around the outside edge then work your way back toward the center. I find it easier to go in a counter-clockwise direction. Also, make sure your frosting is completely softened to room temperature or it won’t pipe as easily. It’s also easier to frost cupcakes if your piping bag is only about halfway full.
More Cake Recipes:
Eggnog Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp. rum extract
- 1 cup homemade eggnog
- ¼ cup full-fat sour cream
Eggnog Buttercream Frosting:
- ½ cup salted butter (1 stick), softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp. eggnog
- ¾ tsp. rum extract
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a larger bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, room temperature eggs, rum extract, eggnog, and sour cream until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling about ¾ of the way up. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles and bake for 16-18 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Make the eggnog buttercream frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, rum extract, eggnog, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If the frosting is too thin you can add more powdered sugar, or if it's too thick you can add more eggnog.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip.
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