Eggnog Raisin Spice Cupcakes
Eggnog Raisin Spice Cake Cupcakes are the perfect holiday treats for your winter and Christmas festivities! These cupcakes are made with silky, rich eggnog, chewy California Raisins, and a ton of cozy winter spices. They are quick and easy to make, featuring a fluffy eggnog buttercream frosting!
I want to thank California Raisins for sponsoring this recipe! As always, all opinions and ideas are 100% my own. Check out their website, californiaraisins.ca for more holiday recipe ideas!
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredient notes
- How to make eggnog cupcakes
- Tips & tricks
- Equipment required
- How to store the cupcakes
- FAQ
- Related recipes
Why you’ll love this recipe
Raisins for a sweet, chewy bite: California Raisins make the perfect addition to these eggnog cupcakes. The naturally sweet raisins add a delicate sweetness and texture to the cupcakes!
Quick and easy to make cupcakes: These eggnog cupcakes are simple to make and come together in less than 15 minutes.
Eggnog for that classic Christmas taste: I used classic eggnog for that perfect Christmastime flavour.
Soft and moist spice cupcake: Not only is the spice cake batter a breeze to make, the warm & cozy spices pair perfectly with the eggnog.
Ingredient notes
Raisins: I used classic California Raisins in this eggnog cupcake recipe. California Raisins are a versatile and naturally sweet ingredient that are perfect for both snacking and baking!
Eggnog: Rich and delicious classic eggnog was used! I wouldn’t recommend using light eggnog.
Butter: Melted butter is added to the cupcake batter, while room temperature butter is used to make the eggnog buttercream frosting.
Vegetable Oil: Oil in the batter makes the cupcakes extra moist.
Nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice: These spices are the perfect pairing to eggnog!
How to make eggnog cupcakes
1. Combine wet ingredients: Add the eggnog, melted butter, oil, eggs and vanilla to a large mixing bowl, then beat together with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.
3. Add the dry & wet together: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk together until smooth. Try not to overmix though!
4. Fold in raisins: Add in the raisins, then quickly and gently fold them through the batter.
5. Add to pan & bake: Pour the eggnog cupcake batter into a prepared cupcake pan, then place into the oven to bake! When done, allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
Tips & tricks
Use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients means that the cupcakes can bake more evenly, meaning you’ll get a softer and fluffier cupcake.
Weigh your ingredients. Weighing the ingredients will yield the best and most consistent results. Volumetric measurement can be off by significant amounts, leading to inconsistent baking.
Whip butter in buttercream until pale. Whipping the butter until it looks very pale and fluffy before adding the confectioner’s sugar is what creates that airy, fluffy, beautiful buttercream.
Don’t overmix: The batter should only be mixed just until it becomes smooth. Overmixing will make the cupcakes dense and tough, and they won’t rise properly.
Use classic eggnog: Classic eggnog is thick and rich in flavour, which aids the cupcakes in both flavour and texture. Light eggnog will be too thin and will not provide the richness/moisture these cupcakes need.
Add confectioner’s sugar slowly: If you want smooth frosting, it is best to add the confectioner’s sugar slowly instead of all at once.
Equipment required
Cupcake pan: Any great nonstick pan is great!
Stand mixer: A stand mixer or a hand blender is essential to making the buttercream!
How to store the cupcakes
Room Temperature: The frosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Fridge: The cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-6 days.
Freezer: The unfrosted cupcakes can be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months.
FAQ
I do not recommend light eggnog, as it may thin the batter out too much and does not provide the richness that classic eggnog adds.
As a substitute for 1 tsp allspice, you can add ½ tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp ground cloves + pinch of nutmeg.
This typically happens when you overmix the batter, open the oven too soon, or underbake the cupcakes! For the best results, only mix until just smooth, don’t open the oven until at least 18 minutes as passed, and finally, bake the cupcakes in batches!
No, you can use a hand mixer for the frosting if you don’t have a stand mixer.
See storage instructions above!
This is likely due to too much flour being added when measuring volumetrically! I recommend weighing your ingredients for precise measurement.
Related recipes
Get the Recipe: Eggnog Raisin Spice Cupcakes
Ingredients
Eggnog Raisin Spice Cupcakes
- 2 ⅔ cups (320g) All Purpose Flour
- 1 ¼ cups (275g) Light Brown Sugar
- 1 cup (100g) White Sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Allspice
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 3/4 cup (171g) Unsalted Butter,, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) Vegetable Oil
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 1 ¼ cup (318g) Classic Eggnog
- 1 cup (160g) California Raisins
Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
- 1 ½ cups Unsalted Butter,, softened
- 6-7 cups (720g-840g) Confectioner’s Sugar
- 6 tbsp Eggnog
- 1 tsp Vanilla
Instructions
Eggnog Raisin Spice Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 2 cupcake pans with liners. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggnog, melted butter, oil, eggs and vanilla, then beat together with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and well-combined. Set aside.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, add the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Whisk until well combined, then pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and whisk together until smooth. Finally, add the raisins and fold them into the batter.
- Pour the cupcake batter into a prepared cupcake pans, then place into the oven to bake for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
- Add butter to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high until butter is doubled in volume, and looks light and fluffy.
- Turn the stand mixer to low and slowly add the confectioners sugar. Beat until completely incorporated, then add in the eggnog and vanilla. Beat until well-combined and fully incorporated. Transfer to a piping bag with star tip.
- Pipe onto cupcakes, then sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.
