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Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes With Butter Pecan Frosting

Chocolate bourbon pecan pie cupcakes with a dark cocoa crumb and a gooey pecan pie center, then finished with browned butter pecan frosting. Baked in cupcake tins, they’re cored and filled for a clean bite of filling.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 57 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For chocolate bourbon cupcakes
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup cocoa powder
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb butter, softened
  • 1.5 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • 1 cup buttermilk
For pecan pie filling
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 0.5 cup corn syrup
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp bourbon
For butter pecan frosting
  • 1 cup butter, browned
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the chocolate bourbon cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line cupcake tins. The liners should sit snugly in each cup.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the cocoa is evenly distributed with no streaks.
  3. Beat butter, softened with brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs and bourbon. Stop when the mixture looks smooth and lighter in color.
  4. Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, mixing just until combined. The batter should look thick and cohesive with no dry pockets.
  5. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full. Aim for even portions so the domes bake at the same rate.
  6. Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes. They’re done when the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
  7. Cool the cupcakes completely. Wait until they’re fully cool so the filling won’t melt.
Make the pecan pie filling
  1. Cook pecans, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, and bourbon for 5 minutes. Stir until the mixture thickens and coats the pecans.
  2. Cool the pecan pie filling until it’s no longer hot. It should thicken enough to hold its shape when spooned in.
Assemble and frost
  1. Core each cupcake and remove a small plug from the center. Keep the cavity deep enough to hold about a spoonful of filling.
  2. Fill each cored cupcake with cooled pecan pie filling. Stop when the center is filled but not overflowing.
  3. Brown butter, then beat it with powdered sugar, heavy cream, and finely chopped toasted pecans until fluffy. The frosting should lighten and hold ridges.
  4. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake and top with a whole pecan. Finish with a dramatic swirl that covers the filling.

Notes

To keep the center from leaking, core only after the cupcakes are fully cool and use cooled pecan pie filling. Store cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature for best texture. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months (wrap well), then thaw and frost after thawing. For a no-alcohol option, replace bourbon with an equal amount of bourbon-flavored extract or additional vanilla and a splash of water in the filling/cupcakes.