Whiskey-Soaked Cupcakes: The Don Draper of Sweets

These whiskey-soaked cupcakes are inspired by a classic cocktail: the old fashioned. Mad Men fans are likely familiar with the whiskey and bitters muddle — as it is Don Draper’s drink of choice. When the show premiered in 2007, the cocktail was not a common drink order. Today, Mad Men has brought the old fashioned back to its 1960s glory.

So while these cupcakes are old fashioned, they don’t have anything to do with Betty’s jello molds. That’s to say, these are not your grandmother’s cupcakes.

What you’ll need … 

•   2  cups sifted flour (1/2 cups cake flour and 1 1/2  cups all purpose flour)

•   2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, just a tad less is good

•   ½  teaspoon salt

•   2 eggs

•   1 1/2 cups sugar (1 cup granulated, 1/2 cup brown sugar)

•   ¾ cup butter, softened

•   1 cup milk (or blend in as needed)

•   2 teaspoon vanilla extract

•   2 tablespoons whiskey, per cupcake

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside dry ingredients.

Cream butter and sugar.  Blend egg and extract into this bowl.

Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk, a small amount at a time.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Allow cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes.

Make 8-12 holes in the cupcakes, poking the tops with a fork. Now, use the whiskey you set aside to drizzle over the tops of the cupcakes. Use two tablespoons per cupcake.

Now for the orange whiskey buttercream frosting!

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2-3 cups powdered sugar, by taste/texture

¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3½ tablespoons orange juice, fresh squeezed

1 tablespoon whiskey, or whiskey to taste

Mix it up. (If icing is too runny, add more sugar. If too thick, add a splash of milk.)

Apply frosting.

Garnish with orange zest or skin.

Cheers!