Pisco Sour Cupcakes with Lemon Pisco Frosting
I have some cupcakes to share with you today! Not just any cupcakes either. These are spiked with Chile’s favorite drink; Pisco Sour.This recipe is long overdue. I’ve been wanting to do this for ages but I just kept putting it off until after the holidays when I knew I’d need inspiration.
So what is Pisco Sour? It’s kind of a big deal here in Chile, and many parts of South America as well. Pisco Sour is the national drink of both Chile and Peru. It’s made with Pisco, which is a type of brandy made in both countries. Then the sour part refers to either lime or lemon juice. It’s sweetened with a simple syrup and sometimes topped with egg whites and bitters, although I think that’s more of a Peruvian thing.
Both Chile and Peru claim ownership of the drink and it’s invention sometime between the 1870′s and the 1920′s. I’m not gonna lie that I find it quite amusing to hear the debates that go on about its origin when the subject is brought up. They can get pretty heated, especially when aided by one too many Piscos.
I may not be of drinking age yet but every honest chef is required to taste what goes into their food and they say not to add liquor to your cooking unless it is something you would drink on its own. Out of the small sips I’ve tasted of different drinks, Pisco Sour is one of the only ones I can actually see myself drinking someday. I don’t think I’ll ever enjoy drinking much but I love using different liquors in cooking.
Okay, I’m not sure about the availability of buying Pisco in the States or other parts of the world. I remember my dad finding some at Trader Joe’s when we lived in the States but they may not still carry it. I think you could substitute it with a different Liquor, though. If you can’t find pisco where you live then tequila might work.
The flavor and texture in these cupcakes is amazing. The Pisco is barely detectable but enough to add a depth to the other flavors. I will definitely be making them again and I can’t wait to serve them at a party. You have to try these.
Ingredients
- 5 egg whites
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons Pisco Sour *see note
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 6 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 teaspoons Pisco Sour *see note
- 1 tablspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Pour egg whites into bowl of stand mixer and beat until they form stiff peaks. In separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add all other ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in egg whites. Line two 12-cavity cupcake pans with paper liners and spoon batter into them to fill about 3/4 full. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
- Beat butter in a large mixing bowl until creamed. Add vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add lemon juice and Pisco Sour and beat until light and fluffy. Use a pastry bag and tip to pipe onto cupcakes when cooled.
Notes
*If you can't find Pisco Sour you can try replacing the 3 tablespoons in the cupcakes with 1 1/2 tablespoons tequila and 1 1/2 more lemon juice. For the frosting replace 2 1/2 teaspoons with tequila and 2 1/2 with lemon juice.
Categories: Desserts, Peanut Free, Summer, Uncategorized, Vegetarian
