Red Wine Cupcakes
My Red Wine Cupcakes have red wine mixed both into the chocolate cake batter as well as the chocolate ganache frosting. If chocolate and wine are some of your favorite things you need to try this recipe! These cupcakes make a delicious treat for Valentine’s Day or really any special occasion.
Ingredient Notes
Below are some notes on key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, see the recipe card below.
- Red Wine – These cupcakes have wine in both the batter and the frosting. Use whatever you like to drink. I tested them with a Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Salted Butter – the majority of the chocolate cake recipes you find on my site will use oil instead of butter. However, in this particular case I found the texture of the chocolate butter cake to go perfectly with the ganache frosting. When it comes to butter, I only bake with salted butter. I find that when I use unsalted butter I have to add a lot of salt to balance out the sweetness of most of my recipes. If you would prefer to use vegetable oil, I’ve included that option in the recipe below. If you’re using the oil-based recipe, tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring any bubbles to the surface before baking.
- Espresso Powder – My chocolate layer cakes always include fresh brewed coffee in the batter and for these chocolate red wine cupcakes I’m using espresso powder. We’re adding just enough to enhance the flavor of the chocolate without the end result tasting of coffee. My favorite espresso powders are from King Arthur and Medaglia D’Oro.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have store-bought buttermilk you can easily substitute with milk and lemon juice. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice to a measuring cup and then add enough milk until you have 1/2 cup total. Let sit for about five minutes before adding to your batter.
- Chocolate – I love baking with Guittard Semisweet Baking Wafers because they melt so smoothly, but you can use regular chocolate chips, chopped chocolate bars or whatever you have on hand.
Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes
To make the cupcakes start by bringing the red wine to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and espresso powder until smooth. This is called ‘blooming’ the cocoa. Dissolving the cocoa powder into a hot liquid helps to bring out all the best flavors of the cocoa and really enhances the flavor.
Heat oven to 350 and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside while you prepare the batter.
In a medium bowl combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside while you prepare the wet Ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter (or oil, if using) and the sugars. For butter, beat on medium speed using the paddle attachment for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. For oil, mix 1-2 minutes. It won’t get fluffy like the butter it just needs to be combined. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Next, add the cooled wine chocolate mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed. Make sure to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix on low just until incorporated.
Divide batter among the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. I love using an ice cream scoop for cupcake batter, its the perfect amount! Bake for 18 minutes. While the cupcakes are still warm brush the tops with the remaining 2 tbsp of red wine. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Red Wine Frosting
I’m a chocoholic so I love ganache frostings, and even though it takes a bit of time to set up to the right consistency it’s worth it. Since the ganache takes a few hours to set to the right consistency you can make it before you start the cupcakes or even the day before.
Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, either on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for a minute to melt the chocolate and then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the red wine. Cover and refrigerate until thick enough to pipe or spread. It will likely take a couple hours to get to the consistency of Nutella or peanut butter. Use a shallow dish for quicker refrigeration time.
To frost cupcakes my go to piping tips are Ateco 867 and 868. I also use a disposable piping bag for easy clean up. Or use a knife or offset spatula to spread the ganache. Decorate with fresh berries or crushed freeze-dried berries and enjoy!
Looking for more boozy cupcakes? Check out my Margarita Cupcakes.
Red Wine Cupcakes
Ingredients
- ½ c red wine
- ½ c cocoa
- ½ tsp espresso powder, optional
- 1 c AP flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 stick salted butter 1/2c, softened (or substitute ½ c vegetable or canola oil)
- 1 c light brown sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ c buttermilk
- 2 tbsp red wine
- 3 c semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ c + 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- ¾ c red wine
- Fresh berries and/or freeze-dried berries for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners. This recipe makes 16 cupcakes.
- In a small saucepan bring the red wine to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and espresso powder until smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the softened butter (or oil) and the sugars. If using butter, beat on medium high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. If using oil, mix 1-2 minutes, it won’t get fluffy like the butter it just needs to be combined.
- Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat just until combined.
- Add the cooled cocoa mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low to combine.
- Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix on low just until incorporated.
- Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon fill the cupcake liners about ¾ of the way full. One scoop from an ice cream scoop is the perfect amount. Bake for 18 minutes.
- While the cupcakes are still slightly warm brush or drizzle the 2 tbsp of wine over the tops. Move to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the chocolate ganache add the chocolate chips to a medium bowl.
- In a small saucepan or a microwavable bowl, bring the cream to a low boil and then remove from heat. Pour over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for a minute to melt the chocolate and then whisk until smooth. If there are any chocolate chunks remaining microwave the ganache at 10 second intervals and stir until smooth.
- Whisk in the red wine. Cover and refrigerate until thick enough to spread or pipe. It should be about the consistency of peanut butter. If it gets too thick, microwave at 5 second intervals just until soft enough to frost.
- Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and garnish with fresh berries and/or crushed free-dried berries.
Leave a Reply