Fair warning… once these whiskey pecan cupcakes hit the Thanksgiving dessert table, the pie might have some competition. Each one gets a gooey whiskey pecan pie topping, a swirl of whiskey icing, and its own little pipette of whiskey…all of this on a chocolate cupcake that starts with a boxed mix. Yes, please!
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Whiskey Pecan Cupcakes
If it has pecans in it, I’m probably going to love it. Pecan pie, pecan flavoring, sugared pecans sprinkled over a salad… you get the idea. My mom makes pecan pie every Thanksgiving and Christmas, so naturally, pecans are synonymous with the holidays for me.
Add whiskey to the mix and I’m mentally at the Thanksgiving table, which is exactly where these cupcakes took me.
Here’s what I love most about them. They look like something from a bakery case with all the piped icing and pecan topping. However, the cupcakes come from a box and the topping comes together in one saucepan.
Then there’s that little pipette of whiskey poking out of the icing. It takes about two seconds to add and it does so much for the presentation, don’t you think?
Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes
- Boxed mix head start: The chocolate cupcakes start with a triple chocolate cake mix, so most of your time goes into the topping and decorating.
- Pecan pie topping: A stovetop pecan pie filling cooked with whiskey and spread over the entire top of each cupcake.
- Bakery-style finish: A piped swirl of whiskey icing and a mini pipette of whiskey make these look professional and like they’re far more work than they actually are.
What You’ll Need
Most of this is a pecan pie pantry list plus a box of cake mix and a little bourbon whiskey from the bar cart.
- triple chocolate cake mix
- eggs
- water
- canola oil
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- cornstarch
- light corn syrup
- unsalted butter
- kosher salt
- bourbon whiskey
- chopped pecans
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- heavy whipping cream
- mini pipettes
Note: Always check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients, amounts, and steps.
How to Make Whiskey Pecan Cupcakes
There are three parts here (cupcakes, pecan topping, and icing), but none of them are complicated on their own, so let’s get baking!
- Bake the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with liners. In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, eggs, water, and oil together until combined. Fill each liner 2/3 full and bake for 21 minutes. Then, set the cupcakes on the counter to cool.
- Cook the pecan topping. In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup, melted butter, salt, beaten eggs, and whiskey. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla. Pour everything into a bowl, let it cool on the counter for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Make the whiskey icing. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, whiskey, and heavy cream until the icing is smooth and stiff. Scoop it into a large piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Add the pecan topping. Use a medium cookie scoop to place a mound of pecan topping on each cupcake, then gently spread it to cover the whole top.
- Pipe and garnish. Pipe a dollop of icing in the center of each cupcake and press a whiskey-filled mini pipette into the side of the icing.
Tips & Tricks – Whiskey Pecan Cupcakes
• Start the pecan topping while the cupcakes bake. The topping needs about an hour and 10 minutes to cool and chill. The cupcakes need to cool completely anyway so both are ready around the same time.
• Let the cupcakes cool all the way before topping them. Warm cupcakes soften the butter in the icing and can make your swirl slump.
• Start with 3 tablespoons of heavy cream in the icing. If it’s still too thick to pipe, add one tablespoon at a time, up to 5 tablespoons total. You want it stiff enough to hold its piped shape and keep the pipette standing, so stop as soon as it pipes smoothly.
• You can taste the whiskey so use a whiskey you’d actually sip. The whiskey in the icing and the pipettes isn’t cooked at all. The whiskey in the topping boils with the filling but a quick boil doesn’t cook off all of the alcohol so these are an adults-only dessert as written.
• Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days because the topping has eggs and the icing is made with butter and cream. Add the pipettes right before serving.
Want to Change it Up?
The finishing touches are the easiest part to adjust (depending on who’s eating them):
- Swap the pipette for a pretzel: If you’d rather skip the pipette of straight whiskey, press part of a mini pretzel stick into the side of the icing instead. You still get a garnish sticking out the side, plus a salty little crunch.
- Make them alcohol-free: Leave the whiskey out of the topping and icing and use the pretzel garnish. You’ll lose the whiskey warmth and the topping may set up a little thicker without that liquid (I haven’t tested this version), but the pecan pie flavor stays prominent.
- Change the cake flavor: Devil’s food or yellow cake mix (if you don’t like chocolate cake) works as the base too. Follow that box’s directions for the batter and bake time (varies by brand).
More Cupcake Recipes
Whiskey Pecan Cupcakes
Equipment
- large bowl
- cookie scoop medium size
- piping bag (optional – can use ziplock bag)
- star tip (optional- use only with piping bag)
- 18 mini pipettes (4 ml) (optional)
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 box triple chocolate cake mix (13.25-ounce box)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup canola oil
Pecan Pie Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3 Tbsp bourbon whiskey
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp bourbon whiskey
- 3-5 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Beat the cake mix, eggs, water, and oil in a large bowl until combined.1 box triple chocolate cake mix, 3 large eggs, 1 1/4 cups water, 1/2 cup canola oil
- Fill the liners 2/3 full and bake for 21 minutes. Set the cupcakes on the counter to cool.
Pecan Pie Topping
- Stir together the sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup, melted butter, salt, eggs, and whiskey in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, 3/4 cup light corn syrup, 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 2 large eggs, 3 Tbsp bourbon whiskey
- Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans and vanilla. Pour into a bowl.1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Let the topping cool on the counter for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
Icing
- Use a stand mixer to beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, whiskey, and heavy cream until combined, smooth, and stiff.1 cup unsalted butter, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 Tbsp bourbon whiskey, 3-5 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
- Scoop the icing into the piping (or Ziplock) bag. Fit with the star tip if using a piping bag.
Decorate Cupcakes
- Use the medium cookie scoop to place a mound of pecan topping on each cooled cupcake and gently spread it to cover the entire top.
- Pipe a dollop of icing in the center of each cupcake and place a pipette into the side of the icing.
Nutrition
Nutritional information accuracy not guaranteed.
