Almond Amaretto Cupcakes

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These Almond Amaretto Cupcakes have a moist almond cupcake, almond frosting and a fluffy white chocolate amaretto center!

Almond Amaretto Cupcakes

Almond Cupcakes with Almond Frosting

Almond Amaretto Cupcakes recipe

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. 😉

Best Almond Amaretto CupcakesHomemade Almond Amaretto Cupcakes recipe

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. 🙂

Easy Almond Amaretto CupcakesFavorite Almond Amaretto Cupcakes recipe

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Recipe

Almond Amaretto Cupcakes

  • Author: Life, Love and Sugar
  • 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
  • 34 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!

Almond Amaretto Cupcakes decorated

Almond Amaretto Cupcakes - almond cupcakes and frosting with a whipped amaretto filling! So good!

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201 Comments
  1. Holly

    Hi LIndsay, I just made these cupcakes and they are delicious and light and fluffy. I just had one question, mine were raised nicely when they were in the oven but when i took them out they went down a little. The toothpick came out clean, so they were done. During the mixing process at the milk and water, when i added that it looked almost like it curdled or something, once i added rest of the flower it looked fine. But do you think that could of had something to do with it not rising like it should of. I used 1% milk. Thanks for the recipe and any advice you could give me.

    1. Lindsay

      It’s fairly common for cakes/cupcakes to settle a little as they cool and it’s normal for the batter to look a little funny after adding the milk. All sounds normal. I’m glad you enjoyed them!

  2. Jasmine

    Can I make the ganache the night before I make the cupcakes and frosting, would it hold up overnight? 

    Would I be able to use food coloring on the frosting? I want to make some of them red?

    What’s the difference between using all butter in the frosting vs butter and shortening? 

    1. Lindsay

      Yes, you can make the ganache the night before.

      Food coloring will work just fine in the frosting.

      To read more about using butter versus shortening, check out this post. You can always feel free to use all butter, if you prefer.

  3. Hannah

    What do you think about using an italian or swiss meringue buttercream instead of the american buttercream? Did you test with different types? Thanks!

  4. Kim

    Hi Lindsey! These look and sound amazing but I have celiac and need to make them gluten free. Do you think I can sub gluten free flour will work or almond flour?
    Has anyone made them gluten free?
    Thanks!

    1. Lindsay

      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.

  5. John

    Hi Lindsay. Can powdered egg whites be substituted in this recipe? Also, what is the typical yield from this recipe using standard size cups? Thank you in advance. I’m looking forward to trying these.

    1. Lindsay

      It would certainly work as a layered cake. As for stacking, I’m not totally sure. If things are well doweled and supported, I’d think it’d be fine.

    1. Lindsay

      Egg whites and yolks serve different functions in baking. In this recipe, whites add structure to the cupcakes.

  6. Lynn

    Hi Lindsay – can you give me an example of what “shortening” might be.  Are you referring to a product such as Crisco?  
    Or are you referring to the shortening which comes in the tubs and looks like butter but it is not, such as Land O Lakes?
    Thank you!

    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t tried it in this recipe, so I’m not sure how it’d turn out. The flours have different protein contents.

  7. Beverly

    I just finished making the Almond Amaretto Cupcakes and they turned out EXACTLY like yours!! They are simply perfect. Certainly a bit time consuming but worth every second. I made them to take to a joint church service tomorrow (I know, kinda rolled the dice on making cupcakes from a recipe I have never tried before but hey! that’s how I roll!!!). Thanks for posting this recipe….now I need to go hose down the kitchen re: powdered sugar…..

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

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