Fireball Cupcakes
These easy Fireball Cupcakes pack a punch! Full of cinnamon flavor and a few ounces of Fireball Whisky they’re a surefire way to get the party started. And don’t let the pretty buttercream frosting fool you. It has a little cinnamon whisky in it too!
With a boxed cake mix and a little liquor, this treat works for both dessert and happy hour and is ready in just over half an hour!
You’ll Love This Fireball Cupcakes Recipe
Fireball cupcakes from boxed cake mix are so crazy easy to make that you will want to make these for every occasion.
Alcohol-infused cupcakes are fun (and, have I mentioned, easy) to make and awesome to serve at parties.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of tossing back a shot of Fireball, it’s a cinnamon-flavored whisky. It’s spicy and sweet and it’s one of the most popular liquors out there.
It can be used in all kinds of different cocktail recipes, like a Cinnamon Mule, but it’s also great in baking!
Related: Fireball Pumpkin Pie
It’s a fun addition to cupcakes and baked goods and a great way to add some extra flair to frosting too.
The cinnamon flavor of the Fireball Cupcakes is delicious! And you don’t get any of the burn from the liquor. These are some of my favorite boozy cupcakes. Ever. Topped with the cinnamon whisky-infused buttercream, this recipe is easy and fun and one you need to try.
NOTE: This post is LONG. You can use the “jump to recipe” button at the top or scroll down to print out the recipe card with full recipe, instructions and notes.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
You know I love a dessert with a boxed cake mix! It’s such a great time saver and always brings a delicious flavor. Adding your own spices to the basic cake mix is a great way to jazz up the flavor. I do not suggest using a spice cake mix.
The Fireball adds a sweetness to the cake as well as more cinnamon flavor.
Adding a little cayenne pepper gives it that spicy heat that you expect to come through from the Fireball. Do not skip this! It’s pretty subtle but a fun little kick in these Fireball Cupcakes!
Make sure your butter is at room temperature before you start making these yummy cupcakes. I like using butter instead of vegetable oil for this recipe.
For the Fireball Buttercream
The above image shows all the ingredients to make my very best Classic Vanilla Buttercream recipe which is the base of all my flavored frostings.
To that recipe, with a powdered sugar and butter base, you’ll add 1/4 cup of Fireball, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne for the heat.
You will be able to taste the cinnamon whisky more than in the cupcakes. But you can leave it out if you prefer. In fact, the last time I made these cupcakes I used the vanilla buttercream instead and it was a glorious flavor pairing.
Be sure to check out the full buttercream post for the frosting step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Fireball Cupcakes with Fireball Buttercream
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
Step 1
In a bowl (I use this batter bowl all the time when baking) add vanilla cake mix and room temperature butter. Mix it together as best you can. Using a fork helps to break up the butter and incorporate it into the flour. The mixture will be crumbly and not smooth.
Step 2
Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground clove and cayenne. Then mix together.
Step 3
In another bowl beat together eggs, milk and Fireball. I made these in my stand mixer, but you can do this with a hand mixer if you prefer.
Step 4
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
Step 5
Mix until everything is well incorporated and the batter is shiny.
Step 6
Divide the Fireball Cupcakes batter between the cupcake liners and take to the oven.
Step 7
Bake for 18 minutes.
Remove the cupcakes with whisky from the oven and from the cupcake pan and let it cool completely before decorating.
Make the Fireball Buttercream
First
Make the basic vanilla buttercream recipe.
Second
Then add powdered sugar, cinnamon, cayenne and Fireball whisky.
Third
Whip until fully mixed and fluffy.
Decorate the cooled Fireball Cupcakes with the frosting. I added some red food coloring to mine, but you don’t have to. The frosting is mind-blowingly tasty as is.
I got 24 frosted Fireball Cupcakes from this recipe but it will depend on how full you fill the cups. But fill them at least half full.
TIPS
- For a more cocktail-esque flavor, brush more Fireball Whisky on top of the baked cupcakes (while warm!) so it can soak in the flavor.
- You may need to play around with the food coloring to get your perfect red for the frosting. The red shown in these photos was hard to replicate with regular red food coloring. Adding some brown to it helps but seriously, who has brown food coloring? Also, consider trying gout gel colors for deeper pigments.
- If using a piping tip is too advanced for you for decorating, you can just use a butter knife to spread some on. Trust me, when people taste these Fireball Cupcakes they won’t care what they look like.
- Don’t want to hassle making a buttercream? Try a simple Cool Whip Frosting or Russian Buttercream (so easy!)
- If you want to leave out the Fireball whisky just use extra milk instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is varying information online about how much of the alcohol bakes out of cupcakes. The longer they bake, the less alcohol they have left in them at the end. For a cupcake that bakes about 20 minutes, there can be about 35% of alcohol left in the baked cupcake.
While these cupcakes do have a few ounces of alcohol in them and are then baked – (but see above question), it is not probably enough to get you drunk. There is raw Fireball in the buttercream, but again, you’d have to eat a lot before it would impair your behavior. But, of course, use caution and your best judgment.
If at all possible, store the Fireball Cupcakes, unfrosted, in an air-tight container. You can leave them at room temperature for about a day but after that I would store them in the fridge. In the fridge, they should last for about 3 days.
These spicy, flavorful Fireball Cupcakes are easy to make for all your celebrations and game-day parties! Just grab a bottle of cinnamon whisky and a box of cake mix and you’ll have a cocktail-inspired dessert in a flash!
More Boozy Cupcake Recipes
More Fireball Recipes
Fireball Cupcakes
Ingredients
Fireball Cupcakes
- 1 Box vanilla cake mix
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup Fireball
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground clove
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
For Fireball Buttercream
- 1 batch of my Classic Vanilla Buttercream
- ¾ cup confectioners sugar
- ¼ cup Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of cayenne
Instructions
To Make the Fireball Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix vanilla cake mix with room temperature butter. Use a fork to cut the butter into the mix. It will be course and crumbly not fully mixed in.
- Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground clove and cayenne then mix well.
- In another bowl (a stand mixer or use a hand mixer) beat together eggs, milk and Fireball.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients mixing until everything is well incorporated and the batter is shiny.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake liners and take to the oven.
- Bake the Fireball Cupcakes for 18 minutes.
- Remove from oven and from cupcake pan and let it cool completely before decorating.
For Fireball Buttercream
- In another bowl, make the basic vanilla buttercream and mix with confectioner's sugar, cinnamon, cayenne and Fireball.
- Whip until fluffy.
- Decorate the Fireball Cupcakes with the frosting.
Notes
- I got about 20 cupcakes out of this batter, but it will depend on how full you fill the cups.
- To get these cupcakes in the oven fast, gather all your ingredients before starting so you have everything you need within reach.
- For a more cocktail-esque flavor, brush more Fireball Whisky on top of the baked cupcakes so it can soak in the flavor while they are warm when they come out of the oven.
- Try using gel food coloring for a more bold, rich color like the ones shown.
- If using a piping tip is too advanced for you for decorating, you can just use a butter knife to spread some on. Trust me, when people taste these they won’t care what they look like.
- Store the cupcakes, unfrosted, in an air-tight container. You can leave them at room temperature for about a day but after that, I would store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Can you freeze the cupcakes?
Yes! Make sure they are completely cool. It’s also best if they are unfrosted. For best results wrap each one in plastic wrap and then store them in an air-tight container in the freezer. They should last for a few months that way. To defrost just unwrap and leave on the counter for an hour or two. I would make the frosting fresh if possible!
Does this need food coloring so that the frosting turns out that color of red?
All I have is a jumbo muffin pan with 6 slots. My friend is giving me jumbo cupcakes liners. Do I cook them longer because they’ll be bigger than regular cupcakes? If so does that remove almost all of the whiskey?
I normally don’t like any whiskey but I drink it with a friend it has to b cold though I will certainly try this recipe thanks
In this recipe the flavor is SO good and you get any burn from the liquor!
So good!
Right?! These are my all-time favorite cupcakes!