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These Almond Amaretto Cupcakes have a moist almond cupcake, almond frosting and a fluffy white chocolate amaretto center!
Almond Cupcakes with Almond Frosting
So Christmas Eve night, something rare happened. The hubs baked with me! It was sort of unintentional. We’d gotten into bed and were ready to go to sleep, but then all of a sudden I realized I’d forgotten to put together the overnight breakfast casseroles for Christmas morning. I’d prepped some things, but they still had to actually be put together. When I told the hubs, he got up with me to help so it went faster.
I put together the egg casserole and the hubs put together the cake batter french toast casserole. He felt like I shouldn’t have to put together my own birthday breakfast. 🙂 After a few minutes of putting things in bowls, he got confused.
“Wait, what’s this?” he said, pointing at the recipe.
“That’s tablespoons. Five tablespoons of sprinkles,” I said.
“So what’s this?” he said.
“That’s teaspoons.”
“Crap. I added too much cinnamon and vanilla.”
He’d added 2 tablespoons instead of 2 teaspoons. Quite a difference. 🙂 Fortunately, it’s hard to mess up a birthday cake french toast casserole. The more cinnamon and vanilla, the more better. We had a good laugh and rolled with it.
It still turned out great, but you’ll be happy to know he wasn’t in the kitchen when I put these cupcakes together. You never know what could’ve happened. 😉
These cupcakes are seriously delicious and were made by request. The base cupcake is moist and fluffy and uses almond extract for the flavor. The first step of the process of making the batter is the most important – the creaming. Be sure to fully cream the butter and sugar together until it’s lighter in color and fluffy in texture. You’ll be able to see it change. It adds air to the batter that gives the cupcake it’s fluff.
The frosting is a classic american buttercream, also flavored with almond extract. If you’re feeling the amaretto though, you could totally add some of that in there too, in place of the water or milk. I like to use a combination of butter and shortening in the frosting. I prefer the texture and flavor and it stays firmer at room temperature, but if you would prefer all butter you can just replace the shortening with additional butter.
The filling is flavored with amaretto, an almond flavored liqueur. It’s a whipped white chocolate ganache that’s so light and perfect with the cupcake! To make the ganache, heat the heavy whipping cream and amaretto, then pour it over the white chocolate chips. Whisk them together until smooth, then refrigerate until it has firmed up. It will still be a little soft, but firm. Add the ganache to a mixer and bowl fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until soft peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. You’ll notice the color of the ganache lighten. It’s light, fluffy and SO good!
The final cupcake is delightful! It’s so light and yummy, with great almond flavor! I could just about eat all of them in one sitting. 🙂
You might also like:
Almond Amaretto Bundt Cake
Amaretto Cheesecake
Raspberry Almond Shortbread Icebox Cake
Raspberry Almond Layer Cake
Raspberry Amaretto Cheesecake Trifles
Mini Berry Almond Cheesecakes
Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake
Almond Amaretto Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 17 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Almond Amaretto Cupcakes have a moist almond cupcake, almond frosting and a fluffy white chocolate amaretto center!
Ingredients
WHITE CHOCOLATE AMARETTO FILLING
- 8 oz white chocolate chips
- 5 tbsp (75ml) Amaretto
- 3 tbsp (45ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
ALMOND CUPCAKES
- 6 tbsp (84g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cups (155g) sugar
- 6 tbsp (86g) sour cream
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 3 egg whites
- 1 1/4 cups (163g) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp (90ml) milk
- 2 tbsp (30ml) water
ALMOND FROSTING
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (95g) shortening
- 5 cups (575g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 3–4 tbsp (45-60ml) water or milk
- Sliced almonds, broken into pieces
Instructions
1. To make the ganache, put the white chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl.
2. Put the amaretto and heavy whipping cream in a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl and microwave until it begins to boil.
3. Pour the cream over the white chocolate chips and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. If needed, microwave the mixture for 10-20 more seconds, then whisk until smooth.
4. Set the ganache in the fridge to firm up, about 2-3 hours.
5. To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
6. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the amount of creaming time.
7. Add sour cream and almond extract and mix until well combined.
8. Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
9. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine the milk and water in a small measuring cup.
10. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
11. Fill the cupcake liners about halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
12. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
13. While the cupcakes cool, finish the ganache. Put the ganache in the bowl of a mixer and whip with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. You’ll notice the ganache lighten in color.
14. Cut out the centers of the cupcakes. You can use a cupcake corer or a knife.
15. Fill the centers of the cupcakes with the white chocolate ganache. Set the cupcakes in the fridge while you make the frosting.
16. To make the frosting, combine the butter and shortening with a mixer until smooth.
17. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
18. Add 3 tablespoons of water or milk and the almond extract to the frosting and mix until well combined.
19. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add additional water or milk as needed to get the right consistency.
20. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.
21. Press broken sliced almonds onto the sides of the bottom of the frosting. Refrigerate cupcakes until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
To make the cupcakes non-alcoholic, leave out the amaretto in the filling and use 5 1/2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and 3/4 teaspoon of almond extract.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 59.5 g
- Sodium: 158.9 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Carbohydrates: 70.9 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 49.5 mg
Filed Under:
Enjoy!
Hi Lindsay..I love all your recipes..Made alot over the years..My doctor confirmed yesterday, that i have Celiac Disease..Can i use gluten free flour for this recipe, as well as all of your other cake recipes??..Thanking you in advance
Thanks Nicole. I’m sorry to hear of the diagnosis. I haven’t tried gluten free flour, but I have heard from others that have tried it in some cakes that it made a good substitute.
Hi Lindsay,
Your cupcake recipe sounds fabulous! I plan on making these soon and I’m just wondering if you could suggest any certain brands of butter for the frosting? I have tried making buttercream frosting in the past but failed terribly. Also do suggest using a stand mixer or would a hand mixer work just as good for making the frosting?
I have really used all kinds of brands. I mostly use Challenge Butter right now. And either a stand mixer or hand mixer would be fine. Check out this post on frosting consistency and this one on my standard buttercream to maybe get some tips. 🙂
In the filling recipe to make non alcoholic do you eliminate the 3tsp and just ad a total of 5 1/2 tsp of heavy whip cream
Yes, that should work fine.
Can this me made into a layer cake?
It should be fine as a layer cake. You’ll want to double the cake portion. You could use this recipe for help with the cake layers. You’ll want to double the amount of frosting or so and use some as a dam between the cake layers to hold in the filling. Not sure about the filling – it may be enough as is or you might need a little more.
can you turn the cupcakes into a cake? How would you go about making a cake?
I would think so. You’d need to double the cake recipe and increase the frosting for sure. Having not done it, I couldn’t tell you exact amounts. You’d want to be sure to pipe a dam for putting the filling in, so it stays in place.
I typically don’t buy whole milk… And for baking I usually always have buttermilk, half & half or heavy cream on hand… For this recipe can I use buttermilk or half & half instead of milk (at equal amount) ?
Should be fine. I’d probably suggest the half and half.
Hi There!
These look delicious and I’ll definitely be making them! Though I did just want to let you know that the number of ads on your site is making it really hard for me to read the recipe and for the page to load in general. I totally understand that your ad revenue is what helps you run the site, but you might want to consider adjusting them so that the time spent on your site is enjoyable, rather than frustrating, trying to get rid of popups.
There really shouldn’t be any popups. My ad management team and myself are against them so they purposely aren’t added to this site. Sometimes there’s something that can have to do with your phone or computer (I don’t know if it’s a virus or something else) that can make ads pop up that aren’t coming from my site. Maybe check into that? I don’t get any popups when I’m on my site. I’m sorry you’re having trouble with it. It’s definitely important to me that the site is easy to use.
Do I whip the egg whites before adding them??
Nope! 🙂
do i have to whip the egg whites before adding them in or just add them without whipping them first
No, you don’t whip them first.
I was so looking forward to making (& eating) these. I am so disappointed. This was the first batch of cupcakes that I’ve ever had deflate/collapse on me. I thought I would work with them anyway. I cored the inside and they were tacky to the touch. Like they weren’t cooked all the way but they were (I checked before pulling them from the oven). I put the ganache inside of them but didn’t even bother with the frosting because the cake itself had an unappealing flavor to it. Not sweet at all, which although I did not frost, I thought the cake should taste sweet. Not happy that I wasted the ingredients on this recipe. I am going to make some almond scones and drizzle the leftover chocolate-amaretto filling on top of them.
I’m sorry Shannon, it almost sounds like an ingredient was left out or off or something. These definitely aren’t tacky in texture.
Hi Lindsay, nice to meet you. I’m stuck in my kitchen at 11:52 p.m. making this fabulous recipe, I hope it looks great. Good night
????????It’s 11:25 p.m. and I’m making that recipe
Hello, my name is Elena. I really want to cook your recipes, but I always something goes wrong. Is there any way to adapt this recipe to suit the ingredients in Russia, we have a different baking powder and sour cream, that’s what I know, and I still can’t understand what shortening and heavy whipping cream. thanks in advance))))
Hi Elena! I’m sorry you’ve had trouble. I’d love to be able to adapt things, but not knowing enough about the Russian version of ingredients, it’d be hard for me to make suggestions. Shortening is a butter substitute that can be replaced with butter. Heavy whipping cream is a high fat milk that is used to make whipped cream.
Hi! I made these as cupcakes as they turned out so well! Everyone was raving about them!
I would like to make the same recipe but in cake form. Do you have any idea how this would translate into cake pans? Would you recommend doubling the batter and icing?
Awesome! So glad they were a hit! 🙂
Yes, you’ll want to double the batter for a cake. I usually bake it in three 8 inch pans for about 21-23 minutes. I’m guessing you’ll need to double the filling, but it could be that you need more like 1 1/2 recipes worth. Not sure. As you probably noticed, the filling is relatively soft, so you’ll need to pipe a dam of frosting around the cake before you add the filling to give it support. Depending on how heavily you frosting your cakes (I’m fairly heavy-handed. 🙂 ) You may want to double the frosting – or so. I hope that helps!
Thank you so much for your answer! Really appreciate it!
These look SO amazing! But I’ll be honest and say I am a layer cake girl. Have you ever tried this recipe in cake format? Have you ever doubled it (in making cupcakes)?
I am very inspired by your recipe, would love to hear if you or anyone else has made it as a layer cake. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, you’ll want to double the batter for a cake. I usually bake it in three 8 inch pans for about 21-23 minutes. I’m guessing you’ll need to double the filling, but it could be that you need more like 1 1/2 recipes worth. Not sure. The filling is relatively soft, so you’ll need to pipe a dam of frosting around the cake before you add the filling. Depending on how heavily you frosting your cakes (I’m fairly heavy-handed. 🙂 ) You may want to double the frosting – or so. I hope that helps!
Hi,
Can i omit the amaretto liquor and use the amaretto flavoring syrup used for coffee and it so how much should i use?
I haven’t tried it. I’d try it as a 1:1 swap.
Hi! I was wondering if you used the amaretto flavoring syrup used for coffee for the filling in the cupcake, and if so, how did it turn out? Thanks!