RumChata Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting for Adults Only!
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Grown-up, boozy cupcakes, anyone?! These fabulous RumChata Cupcakes with cinnamon frosting are the perfect adult-only treat. You will need vanilla cake mix, RumChata, Cinnamon, corn tortillas, and an hour of time.
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RumChata Cupcakes
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
If you’re looking for a fun and festive dessert to make for your next get-together, try this recipe for RumChata Cupcakes!
RumChata blends Caribbean rum, Mexican spice, and Wisconsin dairy cream. It is a delicious creamy beverage to enjoy over ice but tastes great in cocktails like RumChata White Russian and even in hot chocolate! We made Cinco de Mayo Hot Cocoa Bombs with RumChata, and they are a hit!
They are delicious grown-up cupcakes made with RumChata in the cake mix and frosting. And if that’s not enough, a shot of RumChata is inserted into the cupcake with a pipette!
Don’t forget the cinnamon sugar, which not only spices the creamy RumChata liqueur but is also dusted onto the corn tortilla chips and the frosting.
These delightful, boozy cupcakes will surely be a hit with your guests!
If you want to make them for non-drinkers or kids, you can leave out the RumChata, and the recipe will still work just fine.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
For your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed to make these cupcakes have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Standard ingredients such as flour or sugar are not listed, as you will likely have those in your kitchen. The full list with measurements is found in the recipe card.
Cupcakes & Frosting Ingredients
- Box of Vanilla Cake Mix – the usual additional ingredients are changed to butter, milk, and eggs to enrich the cake mix.
- RumChata – a rum-flavored cream liqueur.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Powdered Sugar – also known as Icing Sugar and Confectioner’s Sugar.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – always buy good vanilla as it really does make a flavor difference.
- Corn Tortillas – to make cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips on top of the cupcakes.
Cupcake Decorating Equipment
- Large Piping Bag – you can use disposable or reuseable, your choice.
- Large Star Tip – for example, Wilton 1M
- Cupcake (4ml) Pipettes – for the RumChata shot inserted into cupcake frosting!
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog! I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. You can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
RumChata Cupcakes Recipe Tips
Cupcake Making Tips
- These cupcakes are made using a box of cake mix – the flavor is enriched by using butter, milk, and eggs, instead of the usual oil, water, and eggs.
- Use your choice of cupcake liners – themed to the cupcakes, plain white or black, or a complimentary color.
- Use an ice cream scoop to equally divide the cupcake mixture between the cupcake liners. Fill them about three-quarters full.
- The cupcakes should be ready in about 20 minutes – test their doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cakes. It should come out clean when the cupcakes are cooked all the way through. Bake for an extra 2 minutes and check again.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cupcake Frosting Tips
- When making the frosting you want the end result to be creamy, smooth, and hold a stiff peak. You may have to adjust the amount of powdered sugar and cream slightly to achieve the consistency you need.
- These cupcakes are double-frosted, for the first layer, pipe a thick ring around the edge of the cupcake and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Then add a swirl of frosting on top of the sprinkle layer.
- Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip such as a Wilton #1M
- If you feel like you are going to be making a lot of cakes and cupcakes in the future, I think it is worth investing in a set of piping tips so that you know you always have the right ones on hand for a recipe.
- Do not overfill the piping bag with frosting, and make sure you squeeze the frosting down the bag to expel any air bubbles.
- If you are not confident with your piping skills you can practice on some parchment paper first and scoop the frosting back into the bag to use on the cupcakes.
How to Deep-Fry Safely
If you have not deep-fried food before it can be quite daunting. However, follow my tips below so that you can deep-fry food at home safely and confidently.
If you find you want to do a lot of deep-frying, then it is worth investing in a dedicated deep-fryer, which is safer and more convenient to use.
- Use an oil with a high smoking point. Vegetable or groundnut/peanut oil is generally the best for deep-frying as they have a neutral taste, are economical to buy, and have a high smoke point. You do not want to be using an extra-virgin olive oil which is best for dressing food.
- Use a large, deep, wide, sturdy pan. I tend to use my old-fashioned pressure cooker saucepan as it fulfills all of those requirements. A Dutch oven is another good option.
- Do not overfill the pan. Never fill the pan more than two-thirds with oil as it may bubble up when you add food and spillover.
- NEVER throw water on an oil/grease fire. Keep a damp (not wet) tea towel nearby to help smother the flames. Alternatively, invest in a fire blanket.
- Keep a well-fitting lid close at hand. If you don’t have a lid for the pot you are using, you can use a baking sheet. Use this to cover the pan should it catch fire.
- Invest in a fire extinguisher. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen already, this is the perfect time to purchase one. You never know when you will need it.
- Use a thermometer. Oil for deep-frying should be somewhere between 180C and 200C/375F and 400F. A food thermometer will help you to keep an eye on the temperature.
- NEVER leave a pan of hot oil unattended. It can take just a minute or two for the oil to overheat and catch fire. It is not worth the risk.
- Never put wet food in the fryer. Excess liquid causes the oil to splutter which can cause injuries. Particularly wet foods should be patted dry with a paper towel before frying.
- Turn off the heat. If the oil starts smoking it has become too hot and may catch fire. Turn off the heat, move the pan to another ring on your stovetop/hob and allow to cool completely.
- Turn pan handles away from the front of the cooker. This is a good kitchen practice for any type of cooking. It will help you to avoid knocking the pan from the stovetop/hob.
- Child-free and pet-free zone. I feel like this doesn’t need explaining, but hot oil is dangerous stuff. Keep the kids and the animals shut out of the kitchen when deep-frying.
- How to dispose of the oil safely. Never pour the oil down the sink, unless you want blocked pipes! Leave to cool completely before pouring into a jug/pitcher and funneling it into its original (empty) bottle or another sealable container for disposal in the trash.
What to do when deep-frying goes wrong
Now, if you’ve read through all of that and are panicking. Please don’t. Just be sensible and follow the tips I have provided for you.
However, if something does happen:
- Keep calm.
- Turn off the heat and smother the flames with a lid, large baking sheet, damp (not wet) tea/kitchen towel, or a fire blanket.
- Use a fire extinguisher if you have one.
- DO NOT spray water on an oil/grease fire. This will cause the flames to spread.
- Evacuate the area and close the door.
- Call the emergency fire services on the number in your country of residence when it is safe to do so.
More Cupcake Recipes
Looking for more cupcakes to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Decadent Loaded Brownie Cupcakes For Chocolate Lovers!
- Make These Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Cupcakes For Your Sweet Love!
- Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes with Strawberries & Cream Filling!
- Fruit Salad Cupcakes
How Do I Make RumChata Cupcakes?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
RumChata Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 15.25-oz box vanilla cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 Tbsp RumChata
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Cinnamon Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar icing sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp RumChata
- 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream double cream
For the Cinnamon Chips
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3 corn tortillas cut into triangles
- 1-2 cups oil for deep-frying
To Decorate
- 18 4ml cupcake pipettes filled with RumChata
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Place 18 cupcake liners into cupcake pans and set aside.
- Using an electric handheld or standing mixer, place the cake mix, milk, eggs, butter, RumChata, and ground cinnamon into a large bowl and mix until combined.
- Use an ice cream scoop to divide the cupcake batter between the liners, filling them about ¾ full.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- To make the cinnamon frosting, use an electric stand or handheld mixer and add the butter, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla, RumChata, and cream to the bowl.
- Beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth and stiff peaks form.
- Scoop the frosting into the large piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Set aside.
- To make the cinnamon chips, mix the ¾ c sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon in a small bowl and set it aside. Reserve 1-2 tablespoons for dusting over the cupcake frosting. The rest is for the tortilla chips.
- Pour the oil for frying into a saucepan and heat to about 180°C/350°F*
- Once the oil is hot, deep fry your corn tortilla triangles to a light golden color.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Pat away any excess oil.
- Coat the tortilla chips generously in the cinnamon sugar and set them aside to cool. Any leftover sugar can be used on the frosting!
- Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of the cupcakes and sprinkle with some of the reserved cinnamon sugar, then pipe another smaller swirl of frosting on top.
- Insert a cooled tortilla chip and a RumChata filled pipette into the top of each cupcake. Enjoy!
Notes
- *Check the temperature using a candy thermometer or alternatively drop a 1-inch cube of bread into the oil, and if it browns in 60 seconds, the oil is hot enough.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Meal!
You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a dinner party or special occasion:
- Appetizer: Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Ball
- Soup: Southwestern Chicken Soup with Black Beans
- Salad: Mexican Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Main Dish: Slow Cooker Sausage Chili – A Classic Recipe with a Twist!
- Side Dish: Quick & Easy Spicy Salsa Recipe
- Beverage: Sparkling Mexican Paloma Cocktail with Blanco Tequila & Grapefruit
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too!