White Russian Cupcakes

Monday, I went to my cousin Stephanie C.'s house to bake some cuppies with her. I brought my "Cupcakes from the Cake Mix Doctor" book, and Stephanie chose the recipe for White Russian Cupcakes. Yum! White Russian is my favorite drink on the rare occasion that I actually drink alcohol (...mix a little Bailey's with that and someone better watch out!). These cupcakes are really delicious. How can you ever go wrong with Kahlua whipped cream??

I didn't get a photo of the ingredients,
but here are the cupcakes going into the oven.Look how much they puffed up in the oven!We brushed them with Kahlua while they were still warm.I think Stephanie learned the importance of not over beating whipped cream... hehe

Recipe from Cupcakes from the Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn.

White Russian Cupcakes
Makes 22-26 cupcakes

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Kahlua
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Kahlua Whipped Cream
1 cup (8 ounces) heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon Kahlua
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.
2. Prepare the cupcake batter: Place the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, milk, eggs, vodka, 1/4 cup Kahlua, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Spoon or scoop1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 26 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.
3. Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 17 to 20 min­utes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the remaining 2 tablespoons Kahlua. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners. Lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: Place a large, clean mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the freezer to chill for 1 minute. Remove the bowl and beaters from the freezer. Pour the cream into the bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until the cream has thickened. Stop the machine, and add the sugar and Kahlua. Beat the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. DO NOT OVERBEAT OR IT WILL TURN INTO BUTTER.
5. Frost cooled cupcakes with whipped cream. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Overall rating on a scale of 1-5
Moistness: 5
Tenderness: 5
Frosting: 5