Dark and Stormy Cupcakes

First, I have to give a shout-out to my younger sister Brooke – today is her birthday! Happy birthday sis – see you next weekend!!

Last week, I shared one of my favorite cocktail recipes. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I enjoy a Dark and Stormy whenever I get the chance. A fellow Boston area blogger, Amanda of Tales from a Kitchen Misfit, also loves a good Dark and Stormy.

She’s usually the first to like my Dark and Stormy pics or comments and has shared quite a few herself. Earlier this year, she made her own birthday cake. As a baker, I can appreciate the feeling. People ask why I don’t want someone else to make my birthday cake and it’s an obvious answer. By making my own, I have complete control over the complexity, flavors, decorations, etc. I can make a big old cake exactly how I want it. But I digress.

Amanda’s birthday cake this year was a Dark and Stormy cake. Mind blown. I knew I had to make this cake the second I saw it. I decided to mix things up a bit to really enhance the flavor of a Dark and Stormy. I find that when baking with alcohol, the flavor of the alcohol often gets lost.

I used the same cake recipe as Amanda, but made it into cupcakes. After they were cooled, I soaked the cupcakes in some rum to really get that rum flavor in there. Instead of the frosting Amanda used, I just used a simple cream cheese frosting but added some ginger to mimic a ginger beer. And added more rum. Finally, I topped the whole thing with some candied ginger.

To say these cupcakes were a hit is an understatement. Everyone loved them and they disappeared very quickly. They were quite boozy tasting, which is what I was going for. I served them at an adult party, so no one seemed to mind. I definitely can’t wait to make these again.

By the way, the lime and straw garnish are a must for these cupcakes.

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars
Two Years Ago: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Autumn Fruit Compote and Lime Cilantro Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans
Three Years Ago: Rocky Road Squares
Five Years Ago: Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Pesto and Oreo Truffles

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Dark and Stormy Cupcakes

A Dark and Stormy is one of my favorite cocktails. Making them into cupcakes is a great way to enjoy them.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
3 large eggs
1 cup boiling water

For the Frosting
4 oz cream cheese at room temp
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter at room temp
2 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp Gossling's Black Label rum
2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Optional Garnishes
2/3 cup Gosling's Black Label rum
1/2 cup candied ginger, chopped

Directions:

For the cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment combine the oil, sugar and molasses. Mix on medium speed until blended. With the stand mixer running on low, add the eggs, one at a time, until completely mixed.

Add the flour mixture slowly and mix until just combined. Add the boiling water and mix on low speed until combined.

Divide batter into both cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cakes cool in pan for about 45 minutes.

For the Frosting
Place the cream cheese in the bowl of your mixer. Beat on medium-high until completely smooth, 3-4 minutes. Add the butter and continue to cream until fluffy.

Add ground ginger and rum. Slowly add powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) until desired consistency is reached.

Assemble the Cupcakes
Once cupcakes have cooled completely, poke holes into the top of each cupcake.

Pour 1 tsp rum on top of each cupcake and allow cupcakes to soak in the rum.

Spread frosting onto cupcakes and garnish with candied ginger.

Cupcake Recipe adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones, as seen on Kitchen Misfit.
Frosting Recipe adapted from My Go-To Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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30 Responses to “Dorie’s Perfect Party Cake”

  1. #
    1
    CB — March 30, 2008 at 4:57 am

    I love the idea of perfect party minicakes!! They look delish! Great job! That flour picture is so funny. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done that – flour on the counter, on my KA, in my hair, on my face!
    Clara @ I♥food4thought

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    2
    Nemmie — March 30, 2008 at 5:10 am

    Yum! Love the raspberry/lemon combo, and the mini cakes are adorable 🙂

  3. #
    3
    Morven — March 30, 2008 at 11:36 am

    Well done – what an innovative variation. They look so cute!

  4. #
    4
    Maryann — March 30, 2008 at 11:49 am

    I can totally relate to the slippery effect.
    Your cake looks beautiful!

  5. #
    5
    Sheltie Girl — March 30, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    You did a lovely job on all your mini cakes.

    Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

  6. #
    6
    slush — March 30, 2008 at 1:23 pm

    Adorable! Your KA and mine would be best friends. ‘Chuck’ is always filthy. Poor guy. He gets cleaned up, just to be coated again. 😉

  7. #
    7
    Ben — March 30, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    How cute! Making mini-cakes is a great idea. Next time I make this cake I will try that, I still have a HUGE cake in the fridge I need to eat :-/

    Cheers!

  8. #
    8
    ~Amber~ — March 30, 2008 at 2:24 pm

    Great idea on the mini cakes. They are really cute. Great job. To the next challenge we go.

  9. #
    9
    Carrie — March 30, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    beautifully done!!! love it!!!

  10. #
    10
    Jerry — March 30, 2008 at 3:59 pm

    I love the little cakes! Plus the raspberries! Yummy!

  11. #
    11
    L Vanel — March 30, 2008 at 4:20 pm

    The mini cakes look really amazing!

  12. #
    12
    Allergy Mom — March 30, 2008 at 4:46 pm

    The minicakes are wonderful! Now, you’ll need my address to send one…Libby 😉

  13. #
    13
    Butta Buns — March 30, 2008 at 5:23 pm

    Love the idea of the mini cakes, that’s so adorable!

  14. #
    14
    Bridget — March 30, 2008 at 7:16 pm

    Mini-cakes are definitely more work than one large cake! They’re so cute though.

  15. #
    15
    Nikki — March 30, 2008 at 7:43 pm

    What a cute idea! They look adorable!

  16. #
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    Gail — March 30, 2008 at 7:51 pm

    I love desserts in miniature and your mini cakes look beautiful. I think I will most definitely be making mini cakes sometime in the near future – thank you for the wonderful idea!

    ~gail

  17. #
    17
    Claire — March 30, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    I’m loving the mini versions! The cake looks fantastic. Mmmmm!

  18. #
    18
    Peabody — March 30, 2008 at 9:32 pm

    I made mini ones too. I hate to tell you but it is way easier to frost a whole cake than mini ones. 🙂
    Looks great.

  19. #
    19
    Beth G. — March 30, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    Beautiful!! You did a gorgeous job :O)

  20. #
    20
    Namratha — March 30, 2008 at 11:08 pm

    These individual cakes look pretty…well done!

  21. #
    21
    Lesley — March 31, 2008 at 12:10 am

    Really cute idea to make individual cakes, I love that. Great job!

  22. #
    22
    jasmine — March 31, 2008 at 12:58 am

    I adore your minicakes. V lovely.

    j

  23. #
    23
    leafy bombshell — March 31, 2008 at 2:23 am

    Oh! the minicakes are just the best idea ever. I probably should have done that with my oh-so flat cakes. How great.

  24. #
    24
    Ritsumei — March 31, 2008 at 3:57 am

    Mini cakes -what a great idea! I think I’m going to have to try that here pretty soon. Looks like a delicious lot of fun. Especially the part where you get to eat the scraps. I think this cake was some of the best I’ve had.

  25. #
    25
    ruthEbabes — March 31, 2008 at 2:15 pm

    What cute little mini cakes! Aren’t things just better when they’re mini?

    Great work!

  26. #
    26
    Gabi — March 31, 2008 at 4:00 pm

    I love the little cakes and the picture with the raspberry and lemon zest is so enticing!
    Perfect!
    xoxo
    Gabi

  27. #
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    Jenny — April 1, 2008 at 1:14 am

    Another messy baker here! And I love the mini cakes – I’m nice to see its as low-tech as cutting circles out of larger pieces rather than trying to bake a bunch of cakes in miniature pans.

  28. #
    28
    creampuff — April 1, 2008 at 1:55 am

    Jen,

    Your little cakes are gorgeous! I too love swiss buttercream … congratulations on a job well done!

  29. #
    29
    JMom — April 1, 2008 at 9:12 pm

    wow, that takes some patience, putting all those cakes together! They are just the cutest though. ~ JMom

  30. #
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    Big Boys Oven — April 2, 2008 at 8:54 am

    so petite and cute!

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