mint julep cupcakes
I attended a very special wedding this past weekend. Let me stand you to a mint julep and tell you all about it.
During college I was notorious for getting floormates and friends addicted to my favorite television shows. Buffy, LOST, Firefly. Only one person joined me in my addiction to a 1980′s TV miniseries about pre- and post-Civil War America, and that was my best friend and roommate Rach. We were addicted to North and South and watched it every time we moved into a new room. Every time we moved out. On weekends. On sick days. We loved Orry and George, their friendship, the ridiculous accents, the costumes. Everything.
We even made a trek out to Charleston, SC to visit the houses where they filmed it and had one of the best vacations ever.
So when Rach got engaged to a fellow North & South fan (the only other person we ever met at Cornell who a) knew what North & South was and b) loved it – obviously a match made in heaven!), she asked me to make cupcakes with a perfect little nod to their favorite miniseries. Mint julep cupcakes.
I was honored to be asked to make the “wedding cake” for them, and I wanted to do it right. Knob Creek in the batter, silver cupcake liners (to represent those gorgeous silver glasses the drink is normally served in), and fresh mint leaves on top. Both the batter and frosting were a gorgeous pale green due to copious amounts of créme de menthe, but the balance was there. They were rich but refreshing, and had that bite of liquor without the aftereffects. I was incredibly proud to serve them and even prouder that they were served at an unconventional wedding done the bride and groom’s way – which is what every wedding should be.
So congrats to Rach & Brandon! May your love be as everlasting as Orry and George’s Madeline’s.
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Mint Julep Cupcakes
Makes 4 dozen.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 4 sticks (2 cups) butter at room temperature
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 8 eggs
- 5½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup bourbon
- 1 cup crème de menthe
For the frosting:
- 12 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp. salt
- 4 sticks (2 cups) butter at room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
- 1-2 tsp. mint extract
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp. bourbon (plus more to taste)
- Milk
- Green food coloring
- Fresh mint leaves
Directions
2.) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, & salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate into the batter before adding the next. Once the eggs are combined, add the vanilla. In a large measuring cup or pitcher, combine the milk, bourbon, and crème de menthe.
3.) With the mixer running on low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Pour in 1/3 of the liquid mixture and continue to add dry and liquid ingredients alternatively until everything is added. Mix until just combined.
4.) Using an ice cream scoop, scoop and divide batter evenly among the cupcake cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes in pan and then remove cupcakes to a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
1.) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attement, whip together butter and shortening. Slowly add in half the powdered sugar and salt. Stir in the mint extract, vanilla, and bourbon. Add the rest of the powdered sugar. Then slowly add in milk until frosting reached desired consistency and green food coloring until desired color is reached. Taste and add as much mint extract and bourbon as desired.
2.) Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost and top with fresh mint leaves.
Looks lovely!! Did you use all purpose flour?
I did! I’ll update the recipe to clarify
Awesome! Can’t wait to make them:)
Awww, <3 this and <3 you!! The cupcakes were FANTASTIC, and we were just mentioning how we had to get the recipe from you. I told Brandon it would be on your blog asap – thank you so much for the delicious addition to our day!
What utterly unique and gorgeous looking cupcakes! I made some mint cookies tonight and simply adore a minty treat so these look absolutely fabulous
That frosting just looks insanely moorish! Lovely!
That is a lot of cupcakes! If I cut it in half do you think it will still work?
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer -
Yup, most of the measurements can easily be cut in half so you should be fine!
JJ
i like it
I followed a similar recipe and mine turned out more like muffins than cupcakes. What happened?
Did you put green food coloring in to make the frosting green? Or does the recipe genuinely make green frosting?
Hi Alison,
I used a few drops of green food coloring when I made mine but you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to!
xo JJ