Dark and Stormy Cupcakes
Dark and stormy cupcakes mimic the popular sailing drink. The cupcakes feature Gosling’s rum and ginger beer for a boozy treat!
Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone! Another holiday, another cocktail cupcake and this time I was inspired by the Bermudan cocktail Dark and Stormy. I spent the holiday weekend at one of my summer stomping grounds Newport, Rhode Island. Home to the Newport Bermuda race, the “sailing capital of the world” inspired me to not only drink Dark and Stormies, but also bake with the cocktail ingredients.
What is a dark and stormy? A true Dark and Stormy consists of Gosling’s rum and ginger beer garnished with a lime wedge. It is typically served with the ginger beer poured first followed by the black rum gently over the top to create a layered effect, like dark clouds looming over the sea.
How to make dark and stormy cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- Combine the butter, rum and ginger beer together in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted. Set aside to slightly cool.
- Whisk together the egg and buttermilk, then set it aside as well.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in the butter rum mixture, then mix in the egg mixture. Stir just until combined.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake for 16 to 20 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.
- Make the frosting by beat together the butter and confectioners’ sugar, then add the rum, ginger beer, lime juice and ginger. Transfer frosting to a piping bag with desired tip and frost the cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, any dark rum will work in this recipe.
Yes, but they won’t be true dark and stormy cupcakes. I suggest using apple juice or cider as a substitute and then adding a teaspoon of rum extract.
I have not tried this recipe with ginger ale, but it should work for this recipe.
Place cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you live in a warmer climate, store cupcakes in the refrigerator to prevent the frosting from melting.
Related recipes
I love baking with alcohol. A similar recipe to this one is my buttered rum cupcakes. They have a kick of rum in the cupcakes and frosting along with delicious spices. During the holidays, I always make rum balls for family and friends. They are easy and delicious! Rum soaked cake is also a popular holiday dessert.
If you looking to bake with other types of alcohol, I encourage you to try moscato cupcakes made with pink wine or chocolate stout cupcakes with Bailey’s buttercream.
These cupcakes really adapted well to the cocktail flavors. The black seal rum brought a nice color to the cake while the ginger beer added plenty of flavor to the frosting. Both the drink and the dessert are the perfect drink for a dark and stormy night.
Dark and stormy cupcakes are a boozy treat to enjoy on a blustery summer day. You could bake them for a post-regatta treat or for an avid sailor’s birthday party. What occasion will you bake dark and stormy cupcakes for? Let me know by leaving a comment or tagging @ifyougiveablondeakitchen on social media.
Get the Recipe: Dark and Stormy Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ยฝ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ยฝ cup ginger beer, such as Gosling's
- ยผ cup Gosling's rum
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ยผ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 ยฝ cups (187 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยผ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 2 ยพ cup (330 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- ยพ cup (170 g or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Gosling’s rum
- 1 to 2 tablespoons ginger beer
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons ground ginger, depending on how ginger-y you like the cupcakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐ F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Heat the butter, ginger beer and rum over low heat for about 3 minutes, until the butter melts, being careful not to boil. Set aside to slightly cool.
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg and buttermilk. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Stir the warm butter rum mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and stir until well combined.
- Fill cupcake tins three-quarters full and bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely.
- For the frosting, use an electric mixer and beat butter until whipped. Slowly add confectioners' sugar followed by the rum, ginger beer, lime juice and ground ginger (to taste). Transfer to a frosting bag and frost the cupcakes. Garnish with a lime wedge or candied ginger.
Notes
Adapted from Off the Menu.
20 Comments on “Dark and Stormy Cupcakes”
Yum, these sound delicious! I love ginger beer and am definitely partial to a bit of rum! Was the taste of the rum quite strong?
The ginger beer over came the taste of the rum. You can brush the cupcake tops with the rum before frosting and that adds an extra kick!
Yum in my tum! Cupcakes and a cocktail to boot! Fabulous!
Thank you! Absolutely delicious
I like the idea of cocktails in a cupcake ๐ (never tried it though) They look yummy!
I have a few different “boozy cupcakes” in my recipe box, they always seem to be a hit! Thanks for stopping by and taking a look, definitely worth a try ๐
they look delicious!
Thanks!
These sound delicious! I took a cruise to Bermuda at the beginning of the month and I almost bought some ginger beer to bring home. I wish now that I had!!
Hi Angela! That Bermuda cruise sounds awesome, I know you can buy Ginger Beer back in the states, not to worry!
Reblogged this on angelica robles.
If your looking for Ginger Beer look for the Goslings brand it is the close to what you get in Bermuda I am going to attempt these cupcakes. I have had many Dark and Stormy’s both in Bermuda and the US!
Yes! Goslings is the way to go, that is what I used. Thank you, Kimberly!
Love when people put drinks into cupcake form! This is amazing, thanks for sharing! I will have to make these soon.
Am going to make the Dark & Stormy Cupcakes. Will let you know how they turn out.
Two of my favourite things Dark n Stormy and cupcakes! Perfect combination, can’t wait to try it!
Loved this so much! I can’t wait to make them. I found your recipe via Gosling’s. Hope you don’t mind …. I featured it in my post today ๐ http://600daydiary.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/day-21-600daydiary-the-travelling-tea-shop-sunlounger-2/
Could I check the amount of sugar required in the Dark and Stormy Cupcakes. The list of ingredients includes “1 cup (100g) Sugar” ; here in New Zealand we say that 1 cup of white sugar equals 225g. (I realise that there is a difference in the sizes of cups, from country to country, but not that much surely!)
Val
Hi Val – That was my mistake. There are 200 g in a cup of granulated sugar.