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Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes With Butter Pecan Frosting

Chocolate bourbon pecan pie cupcakes with a dark chocolate cake base and a gooey pecan pie center, baked until set and cooled fully before filling. Finished with browned butter pecan frosting, piped high and topped with a glazed pecan for a classic pie-inspired look.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 57 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 470
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For chocolate bourbon cupcakes
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup cocoa powder
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1.5 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • 1 cup buttermilk
For pecan pie filling
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 0.5 cup corn syrup
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp bourbon
For butter pecan frosting
  • 1 cup butter, browned
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the chocolate bourbon cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin with liners.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined, with no dry streaks.
  3. Beat butter (softened) with brown sugar until fluffy, then mix in eggs and bourbon until smooth.
  4. Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, mixing just until incorporated and stopping when the batter looks glossy.
  5. Divide batter into cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full so the centers bake with a slight dome.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350F until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool the cupcakes completely on a rack before filling, keeping the tops dry so the filling doesn’t seep.
Cook the pecan pie filling
  1. Cook pecans, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, and bourbon together for 5 minutes until thickened and glossy.
  2. Let the pecan pie filling cool to room temperature so it stays scoopable when you fill the cupcakes.
Make the butter pecan frosting and finish
  1. Brown the butter until fragrant and nutty, then let it cool slightly so it won’t melt the powdered sugar.
  2. Beat the browned butter with powdered sugar and heavy cream until fluffy, scraping the bowl to remove any dry pockets.
  3. Beat in finely chopped toasted pecans until the frosting is speckled throughout and holds soft peaks.
  4. Core each cooled cupcake and fill with the cooled pecan pie filling, stopping so the filling sits just below the surface.
  5. Pipe the butter pecan frosting onto each cupcake in a swirl, then top with a whole pecan for a pie-like finish.

Notes

Pro tip: Cool the cupcakes completely and cool the pecan pie filling fully before coring so the center stays intact and doesn’t leak. Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days; bring to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving. Freezing is not recommended for best frosting texture. If you want a dairy-light option, swap heavy cream for a thick, unsweetened plant cream and use a plant butter for frosting (results may be slightly less rich).