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    Home » All Desserts

    Published: Aug 26, 2016 · Modified: Sep 9, 2018 by Claire

    Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes with Bourbon Frosting

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·★★★★★5 from 6 reviews
    What's not to love about these chocolate hazelnut cupcakes with a toasted bourbon meringue frosting?! From The Simple, Sweet Life

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    Happy fantastic Friday my fellow baking badasses!

    Virtual fist bumps and cupcakes all around for making it through the week! No, literally... Because this is a cupcake recipe and I may or may not have fist bumped my computer screen as I wrote this (can't leave ya hanging, can I?).

    And speaking of cupcakes, these cupcakes came from one of "those" moments. You know, that kind of foodie/blogger moment where the stars align and you get a recipe every bit as fun to make as it is decadent. And woah nelly, is it decadent!

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    Also, this recipe involves bourbon and fire, so it's got that going for it. <-- Written like a responsible sounding adult.

    Side note: I'm pretty sure this whole "adulting" thing was not what I signed up for. If I'mma have to pay bill, eat responsibly, exercise, get up at a reasonable hour, pick out health insurance providers, save for retirement, exercise will power, and budget, I should at least get to play with fire and bourbon every once in a while. I mean seriously guys, SERIOUSLY.

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    Buuuuuuuut, back to the cupcakes at hand. The perks to adulting cupcakes. The I'mma-add-fire-and-bourbon-to-my-chocolate-hazelnut-cupcake-goodness-and-cry-as-I-watch-my-bills-suck-the-money-out-of-my-bank-account-cupcakes... I mean... responsible adulty words and things...

    Also, I'm pretty sure that many hyphens in one sentence should be illegal...

    Like these cupcakes! Moist chocolaty hazelnut cupcakes with mile-high toasted bourbon meringue frosting and crunchy hazelnut pieces.

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    Print

    Recipe

    Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes with Bourbon Frosting

    What's not to love about these chocolate hazelnut cupcakes with a toasted bourbon meringue frosting?! From The Simple, Sweet Life
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 6 reviews

    These rich chocolate hazelnut cupcakes are topped with a toasted bourbon meringue frosting.

    • Author: Claire of The Simple, Sweet Life
    • Prep Time: 35 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 55 minutes
    • Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the hazelnut cupcakes:

    • ½ cup boiling water
    • 1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
    • 1 egg
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup milk
    • 1 tsp. hazelnut extract
    • ¾ cup baking cocoa
    • ¾ cup all purpose flour
    • ¾ tsp. baking soda
    • ¼ tsp. baking powder

    For the bourbon meringue frosting:

    • 6 egg whites
    • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
    • 1-2 tbsp. bourbon
    • ¼ cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts

    Instructions

    1. In a small bowl, combine the semi-sweet chocolate and boiling water. Stir until the chocolate has melted. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg and vegetable oil until light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar, water/chocolate, hazelnut extract, and milk, and beat until just combined.
    2. Fold in the dry ingredients until the batter is lump free. Pour it into your lined cupcake pan(s) and bake at 350F/175C for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar and egg whites for the frosting. Place over a pot of boiling water and heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is hot and the sugar has dissolved.
    4. Remove the bowl from the boiling water, return it to the stand mixer, and whip until stiff peaks form and the frosting has cooled to room temperature. Add the bourbon and whip until just combined.
    5. Spoon the frosting into a large piping bag and affix with a tip of your choice (I used an Ateco 829). Pipe the frosting onto your cooled cupcakes, dip the sides in your coarsely chopped hazelnuts, and toast the edges with a chef's torch. Be careful as the hazelnuts are very flammable. Due to the frosting, these cupcakes are best served the same day.

    Notes

    Cupcake recipe adapted from Miette (2011), pg. 55

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 cupcake
    • Calories: 290
    • Sugar: 43.7g
    • Sodium: 107mg
    • Fat: 8.1g
    • Saturated Fat: 2.1g
    • Carbohydrates: 53.2g
    • Fiber: 2.2g
    • Protein: 5g
    • Cholesterol: 14mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @thesimplesweetlifeblog on Instagram and hashtag it #thesimplesweetlife

     

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

    1. Sue Gregory says

      August 28, 2016 at 9:15 pm

      These look AMAZING!!!

      Reply
      • The Simple, Sweet Life says

        September 05, 2016 at 9:54 pm

        Thanks you! 😀

        Reply
    2. The Simple, Sweet Life says

      September 05, 2016 at 10:00 pm

      Eyegasm?! Love it! 😀 Thank you Tina!

      Reply
    3. thebrickkitchen says

      September 06, 2016 at 6:03 pm

      Ahh I love any opportunity to get out the kitchen blow-torch! Especially when it involves chocolate and bourbon as well... <3

      Reply
      • The Simple, Sweet Life says

        September 11, 2016 at 9:36 pm

        Glad to hear I'm not the only one! 😀

        Reply
    4. Gloria says

      April 30, 2018 at 6:41 pm

      Well I think I have found what I am going to make for Father's Day dessert. My hubby LOVES all the flavours in this tasty cupcake. This will be a winner for sure. I just know that he is going to love them.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Analida @ ethnicspoon.com says

      May 02, 2018 at 4:39 am

      I am going to have to dip into my husband's bourbon to try the meringue! I might just make it and float it on some Irish coffee. Thanks for sharing!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

      May 02, 2018 at 10:25 am

      Funny post to read 😉 and those cupcakes look outrageously good!! Love the different textures and the flavors are spot on!

      Reply
    7. Kate says

      May 02, 2018 at 2:44 pm

      Oh my goodness, where do I even begin? These look like a little piece of heaven! I can't wait until I have occasion to make them...because I would definitely eat them all myself if I made them now!

      Reply
    8. dixya @food, pleasure, and health says

      May 03, 2018 at 12:14 pm

      everything about this cupcake sounds divine...hazelnut + chocolate is my fav combo!

      Reply
    9. Leslie says

      May 06, 2018 at 5:22 am

      Why, HELLO THERE GORGEOUS! Where have these been all my life?! I'm using these as the reason I have to have a kitchen torch STAT!

      Reply
    10. Anne Murphy says

      May 06, 2018 at 2:57 pm

      The toasted meringue frosting is so pretty! And you can't go wrong with chocolate and hazelnut... bourbon just brings it up another layer!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Kim @ Berly's Kitchen says

      May 06, 2018 at 3:12 pm

      If I could give this recipe 10 stars, I would!! These cupcakes look sooo good. Is it wrong that I'd like to eat an entire batch? And just look at that frosting! 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Amy Treasure says

      May 06, 2018 at 5:10 pm

      Oh goodness me they look so good, I want to eat one (or three) right now!

      Reply
    13. Femi. O says

      May 06, 2018 at 5:26 pm

      You nailed these girl! These look utterly delectable and I totally love that char on the meringue frosting! Now all we have to figure out is who to send the bill of this monitor I broke after instinctively reaching out for one of these...

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    14. Amanda Mason says

      May 06, 2018 at 6:12 pm

      These look absolutely gorgeous! I don't have a chef's torch...I think I need to invest in one though. If one doesn't have a chef's torch, what could I use in it's place?

      Reply
    15. Matt Kearns says

      May 06, 2018 at 8:40 pm

      I love the photography on these cupcakes! Also all of those flavors sound too amazing. Those cupcakes wouldn't last long in my house!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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