Chocolate Amarula Cupcakes

Having bought myself some Amarula to make the last batch of cupcakes, I felt compelled to use it again in something. This time I decided to try Warren Brown’s chocolate butter cake recipe with amarula. I thought the cocoa and the Amarula would pair together well. Again, the flavor of the Amarula was subsumed by the chocolate, but I also included some amarula in the frosting, which helped to bring out the flavor. The frosting was a chocolate buttercream with cinnamon and Amarula, it was good, very fudgy. I also made these cupcakes mini, mostly to match the others.

Chocolate Amarula Mini Cupakes

Makes ~44

3 ½ oz. AP flour (1/2 cups + 2 T)
1 oz. Cocoa Powder
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt ½ cup + 1
T Amarula
1 T Vanilla Extract
3 oz. (6 T) unsalted butter, softened
7 oz. Superfine Sugar (3/4 cups + 1 Tbs)
2 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, potato starch, baking powder and salt, and set aside. In a small bowl or cup whisk together the Amarula and vanilla and set aside.

2. Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Cream together at low speed for 5 minutes, scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, scrape down the sides of the bowl.

4. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by ½ of the Amarula, continue alternating between the two until both are fully added, ending with the flour. Do NOT wait until each addition is completely mixed to add the next amount. Once everything is added beat on medium speed for 1 minute to combine. At this point, if you let the batter sit, it may look like it’s separating, just fold it with a spatula if/when this happens

4. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool completely

Chocolate-Amarula-Cinnamon Buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ Amarula
1 T cinnamon

1. Using a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add one cup of the sugar, and beat to combine.

2. Add the cocoa powder, Amarula and Cinnamon, beat to combine. Add the remaining sugar and combine. You may need to add more sugar or amarula to stiffen or soften the frosting as necessary.