Get the App

Recipes

Find a Recipe Blue Ribbon Recipes Pinch It!™ Feed Browse All Recipes

Editorial

Food Bites & Articles Videos What is a Blue Ribbon? Meet the Test Kitchen

Community

Member Recipes Groups Sweepstakes Contests Shopping

the cowboy cupcake

(2 ratings)
SweetDreamsCupcake avatar
Recipe by
Sarah Stein
@SweetDreamsCupcake
Glendale Heights, IL

The Cowboy cupcake features a flavor packed whiskey caramel cake covered in dark chocolate ganache. I top it off with a fluffy and sweet marshmallow buttercream and almost too good to be true candied maple brown sugar candied bacon. It's the perfect cupcake recipe for the cowboy in your life!

(2 ratings)
yield 24 serving(s)
prep time 25 Min
cook time 1 Hr

Ingredients For the cowboy cupcake

  • CARAMEL WHISKEY CAKE
  • 2 c
    all purpose flour
  • 2 c
    brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1 tsp
    baking powder
  • 1/2 c
    canola oil
  • 1/2 c
    whiskey (your choice)
  • 1/4 c
    caramel (i use apple dipping caramel)
  • 1 c
    half and half
  • 2
    eggs
  • DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE
  • 1/2 c
    heavy whipping cream
  • 8 oz
    dark chocolate
  • MARSHMALLOW BUTTERCREAM
  • 7 oz
    marshmallow fluff
  • 1 c
    butter, unsalted, room temp
  • 4 c
    confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Tbsp
    heavy whipping cream
  • CANDIED BACON
  • 5 slice
    bacon
  • 1/4 c
    maple syrup
  • 1/2 c
    brown sugar, firmly packed

How To Make the cowboy cupcake

  • 1
    CARAMEL WHISKEY CAKE: In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Set adise. Using a stand mixer whisk eggs, whiskey, caramel, oil, and half & half. Whisk on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture a cup at a time, mixing well between additions. Fill lined cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until cakes have risen and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to fully cool.
  • 2
    DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan heat whipping cream on medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the whipping cream starts to bubble up to half the pan, remove from heat and pour directly over chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, slowly and gently stir the melting chocolate and cream mixture. When the mixture thickens and the chocolate has started to give, stir quickly until glossy and smooth. Dip the face of each cupcake in the ganache to form a smooth, glazed surface. Set aside. (If you end up with extra ganache you can double dip cupcakes or save it for the bacon, as shown in the picture. You can also add a little whiskey to the ganache if you really want to amp up the flavor.) Allow ganache to set and harden.
  • 3
    MARSHMALLOW BUTTER CREAM: Using a stand mixer whisk butter and marshmallow fluff together until combined. Add confectioner's sugar, a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix well. Add heavy whipping cream. Whisk on high for 2 minutes. Frost cupcakes, leaving some of the ganache exposed.
  • 4
    CANDIED BACON: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a little olive oil or cooking spray. Lay strips of bacon flat on this sheet. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup and brown sugar. Place bacon in oven and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Carefully remove from oven and dab bacon with a paper towel to absorb grease. Brush maple syrup and brown sugar mix on bacon. Flip over and repeat. Return to the oven for an additional 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and move to a cooling rack (with a paper towel underneath just in case) and allow to harden and cool. Once cooled, slice bacon into pieces to either garnish cupcakes or serve on the side for guests to add as much or as little as they want.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
ADVERTISEMENT