Egg Nog Cupcakes: Light and fluffy vanilla egg nog cupcakes with a whipped egg nog buttercream frosting.
Egg nog is one of those things you either love or hate. But no matter how you feel about the drink itself, you will love these cupcakes! The egg nog flavor is very delicate. It’s definitely there, but the vanilla kind of rounds things out and the extra nutmeg is super comforting this time of year.
The egg nog makes this cupcake base super moist. I am going to share two recipes with you today! One is from scratch, the other (shhhh!) uses a box mix. Regardless of which base you use, if you make this super quick egg nog buttercream recipe…it will taste homemade!!! It will be the perfect Christmas dessert for you to bring to a gathering, since Christmas cupcakes are so easy to serve to groups.
What is egg nog?
Egg nog is a traditional holiday drink make from milk, sugar, vanilla and raw eggs. For these recipes you can use storebought OR make your own at home. We have THE BEST recipe right here! Making your own at home is way easier than you think! But if you just want to grab some from the store, you can do that too!
What is the best store bought egg nog?
Don’t worry, I have happily done all testing for you. For me, it’s hands down, Southern Comfort Egg Nog. If you don’t want to make your own, and can’t find this brand …any brand will be just fine for this recipe.
What does egg nog taste like?
It DOES NOT taste like eggs! I promise! It tastes to me like melted ice cream with a hint of spice, which is why it does so well in recipes like this!
So now that we’ve covered the egg nog aspect of the recipe, lets talk about how to make them!
How to make egg nog cupcakes
Ingredients for egg nog cupcakes from scratch:
- unsalted butter
- vegetable oil
- granulated sugar
- vanilla
- flour
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- salt
- eggs
Ingredients for egg nog cupcakes from a boxed cake mix:
- cake mix
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- eggnog
- vegetable oil
Ingredients for the egg nug buttercream icing:
- butter
- powdered sugar
- eggnog
- nutmeg
To Make the Cupcakes from scratch
Start by mixing the dry ingredients and set them aside. Next, mix the butter, vanilla, sugar and oil. Alternate between adding the egg nog and the flour mixing just until combined. Fill a lined cupcake pan 3/4 full for perfectly shaped cupcakes.
To Make the Cupcakes Using Box Mix
Combine the dry ingredients first. Next, add the eggs, oil and vanilla. Use a mixer and blend just until well combined. Fill lined cupcake pan 3/4 full for perfectly shaped cupcakes.
How to bake egg nog cupcakes
No matter which base you choose, your going to want to bake them at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. You can check for doneness at that point by inserting a toothpick into the center of the largest cupcake. The egg nog cupcakes made from scratch take just a bit longer. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are done! Don’t go by color, because of the addition of the spices…they are going to be a little darker than usual.
When they are finished, place them on a cooling rack and cool completely.
How to make eggnog buttercream
Start with one cup room temperature butter. Use an electric mixer on medium low speed to blend the butter and vanilly. Mix until well combined. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar until everything is nice and smooth. Add the egg nog last, pouring very slowly until desired thickness is acheived.
How to ice egg nog cupcakes
I am working on a classic cupcake icing post and I CANNOT wait to share it with you. But until that is live, check out this video.
I love these icing tips for getting that perfect classic cupcake swirl.
When you are all done frosting your egg nog cupcakes, sprinkle a little nutmed or cinnamon on top for a festive and flawless presentation.
Egg Nog Cupcakes from scratch
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter- room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup eggnog
- 4 large eggs
Egg Nog Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup room temperature butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degreesLine cupcake pan with paper linersIn a small mixing bowl toss the cake mix, cinnamon and nutmeg together, breaking up any lumps or bumps.Using a mixer and a larger bowl, blend vegetable oil, eggs and eggnog together.Add dry ingredients to egg mixture on low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds.Increase speed and blend 1-2 minutes more.Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full and bake immediateluy about 18 minutes.Remove from oven and cool completely before removing from pan.Top cupcakes with eggnog buttercream frosting.
Frosting
- Blend room temperature butter and vanilla extract together. Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Blend in eggnog until desired moisture is achieved.
Egg Nog Cupcakes from Box Mix
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup eggnog
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Frosting
- 1 cup room temperature butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup eggnog
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degreesLine cupcake pan with paper linersIn a small mixing bowl toss the cake mix, cinnamon and nutmeg together, breaking up any lumps or bumps.Using a mixer and a larger bowl, blend vegetable oil, eggs and eggnog together.Add dry ingredients to egg mixture on low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds.Increase speed and blend 1-2 minutes more.Fill each cupcake liner 1/2 full and bake immediateluy about 18 minutes.Remove from oven and cool completely before removing from pan.Top cupcakes with eggnog buttercream frosting.Enjoy!
Frosting
- Whip room temperature butter and vanilla extract together. Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Blend in eggnog until desired moisture is achieved.
Which version are you going to try? Let me know in the comments!
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