Sailor Sundae Cupcakes

Every so often I’ll create something that leaves me feeling like Dr. Frankenstein.. ‘I’ve created a monster!’ ..but in the best way possible! These cupcakes are my delicious, boozy, decadent monster. A moist chocolate rum cake filled with rich chocolate ganache, topped with fluffy buttercream frosting and a mini bottle of chocolate and caramel rum sauce. My fiancé’s exact reaction was, ‘You either REALLY love me.. or you’re trying to kill me!’ I can assure you all that it’s the former and I just enjoy baking booze-infused goodies! 😉

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Inspired by Sprinkle Bakes

(makes 12 cupcakes)

Cupcakes:

1 cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup + 2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 egg

½ cup milk

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ freshly brewed coffee

¼ cup Sailor Jerry Rum

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Chocolate ganache:

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 Tbs unsalted butter

1 tsp Sailor Jerry Rum

3oz (1/2 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

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Caramel rum sauce: (makes enough for 3 bottles, so you’ll want to double the recipe if making more)

½ cup sugar

1 ½ Tbs water

¼ cup heavy cream

1 tsp of Sailor Jerry Rum

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Chocolate rum sauce: (makes enough for 12 bottles)

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate

¾ cup heavy cream

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ tsp salt

3 Tbs unsalted butter

2 tsp Sailor Jerry Rum

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Buttercream frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp Sailor Jerry Rum

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 Toppings/Garnishes:

Sprinkles

Maraschino cherries

4 paper straws (cut into thirds)

I know there’s quite a few steps involved to make these all come together, but you have to trust me when I say that it will all be worth it! I’ve added numbered instructions for every step of the way and included instructions on how to make them the night before!

If you’re making these for a party and you want every cupcake to have its own mini bottle, than you’ll need 12 bottles. Personally, I only used 1/3 of the chocolate or caramel sauce in the bottle for one cupcake. Any more than half the bottle and your cupcake will be swimming in it, so I only ended up using 6 bottles for the 12 cupcakes that I baked.

Clean 12 (or 6) 50ml Sailor Jerry bottles. You can leave the labels on though. Using strong scissors or a wire cutter, snip off the plastic ring around the neck of the bottle. Hang onto the bottle lids in case you have leftover sauce or if you’re making them ahead of time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

(1.) In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (2.) Using an electric mixer beat in egg, milk, and applesauce until completely blended in. Stir in coffee and rum. (3.) Pour into cupcake liners and place in the oven to bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

**BE CAREFUL when removing these from the oven! Some of the alcohol will evaporate while baking so open your oven and stand back for a few seconds before retrieving your cupcakes. I dove right in which resulted in getting hit in the face with alcohol vapor and my eyes watering for a few minutes. 🙁

(4.) Place cupcakes on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the muffin tin and place on the rack to finish cooling while you prep your other ingredients.

(5.) For the chocolate ganache, combine heavy cream and butter in a small sauce pan over high heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, (6.) immediately remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Continue stirring until mixture is completely smooth. (7.) Stir in rum and set aside to cool.

(8.) For the caramel rum sauce, combine sugar and water in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Do not stir! (9.) When mixture becomes a dark amber color, remove from heat and stir in cream until mixed. (10.) Stir in Sailor Jerry Rum and transfer to a microwave safe container.

(11.) For the chocolate rum sauce, combine 3 oz of the chocolate, heavy cream, brown sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. (12.) Stir constantly and bring mixture to a boil. Bring heat down to low and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. (13.) Remove from heat and add remaining chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth. (14.) Add Sailor jerry Rum and stir until combined. Place in a microwave safe container.

(15.) When you finish your caramel and chocolate sauces, pour into your mini Sailor Jerry bottles. You can use a spoon to drizzle it in or if using a flexible plastic container you can squeeze together to make a spout and pour out sauces. Set aside to cool slightly while you whip together the frosting.

(16.) For the frosting, cream butter together until smooth. (17.) Beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping down the sides as needed. Stir in 1 teaspoon of Sailor Jerry Rum until smooth.

Now to put everything together!

(18.) Cut a small cone out of the center of the cupcakes. Discard the centers or save for a late night snack! (19.) Spoon chocolate ganache into the wells you created. (20.) Add buttercream frosting to a pastry bag and frost the cupcakes to cover the ganache. (21.) Add sprinkles, top with maraschino cherries, and add paper straws.

Place chocolate or caramel filled Sailor Jerry bottles upside down in the cupcake. Make sure you press all the way into the cupcake so it doesn’t tip over.

When ready to eat, pull bottle out and drizzle sauce over cupcake.

Devour and enjoy!

To make the night before:

Bake the cupcakes, fill with ganache, frost, and decorate, leaving off the mini Sailor Jerry bottles. Cover and refrigerate. Make the chocolate and caramel sauces, pour into the bottles, cap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator about 1 hour before so the frosting comes back down to room temperature. Reheat sauces for 10-15 seconds in the microwave, shake, remove cap, and place upside down in the cupcakes. Make sure you press all the way into the cupcake so it doesn’t tip over. When ready to eat, pull bottle out and drizzle sauce over cupcake.

They get a little messy so you may want to serve with a fork!

Enjoy!