Bourbon. Chocolate. Cherries. Win.

Yes, I know I’ve introduced to the world my love of chocolate and cherries in my individual chocolate cherry cake.

But, bourbon.  It’s a game changer, folks.

Plus, this makes cupcakes-plural.  So, you can actually share them with others.

And while they are baking, you can drink shots with your favorite taste-testers:

Recognize this Oreo inspired boozy float?

So, what I am trying to say here is these cupcakes need a place in your belly.  And in other people’s bellies, because they are totally rad.  Boozy chocolate covered cherries take the cake (or cupcake).  You see what I did there?  The bourbon gives the chocolate a sort of salted taste, perfectly balanced with the sweet, cherry frosting.

Bourbon & Chocolate Covered Cherry Cupcakes

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

Cherry Component

1 jar maraschino cherries (or at least 24 cherries)

Enough bourbon to fill said jar

Dark chocolate chips for melting

Instructions below.

 

Cupcake Batter

1 stick butter (or ½ cup)

1 cup flour

½ cup cocoa

1 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

¾ tsp baking soda

½ cup bourbon

1 egg

1/3 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)

Combine batter ingredients in a medium-large bowl and whisk(by hand or with an electric mixer) until smooth.

 

Cherry Frosting

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp milk

pinch salt

1/4 cup cherry juice from the jar

1 lb confectioners’ sugar

Combine all frosting ingredients, adding more sugar if it needs to be thicker or more liquid if it needs to be thinner.

 

First things first, at least 24 hours before you start making these, you should pour the juice out of a jar of cherries into a cup (to reserve for frosting) and fill the jar with bourbon.  Soak the cherries (at least) overnight.

Pat those alcoholic gems dry and then dip them in melted dark chocolate (or whatever kind of chocolate you prefer) and let them harden.  You can melt your chocolate using the microwave or using a double boiler.  Here’s a video in case you are not familiar with this technique.

While those are setting up, make your cake batter by combining the ingredients above (dry and wet ingredients separately, then mix it all together).

Line a cupcake tin with wrappers and place 1 chocolate covered boozy cherry in the center of each wrapper, then fill 2/3 of the way with cupcake batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, make your cherry-licious frosting & ice them.  Top with another chocolate dipped cherry, just for kicks.  I used stemless cherries for the middle of the cupcake and some with stems for the top.

Bonus Fact: sometimes if your taste-testers eat and drink enough bourbon, they encourage you to punch them in the face (in a nice way), so you can start your very own fight club…one where you don’t actually get punched in the face.  Win!

Oops, did I just break the first rule of fight club??!

“Hungry monster” is Renee from http://attackofthehungrymonster.blogspot.com/, a cooking and (occasional) crafting site.  She’s a self-taught home chef who likes to put her own spin on classic recipes.  Go visit her blog and say hi.  Or follow her brand spanking new twitter page @athungrymonster.