Red Wine Cupcakes

Rich chocolate cupcakes with red wine both mixed into the cupcake batter and mixed into the decadent chocolate wine ganache frosting.

3.75 from 4 votes

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 18 mins

Total Time 1 hr 18 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Chocolate Cupcakes:

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

Chocolate Red Wine Ganache:

Red Wine Cupcakes

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.

Red Wine Ganache

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.

This information comes from online calculators and these figures are only estimates.

Keywords chocolate, cupcakes, ganache, red wine, red wine cupcakes

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