RumChata Coconut Cupcakes

When I was asked to make another RumChata cupcake, I realized I never blogged the first ones I made. For those of you who aren't familiar with RumChata, it's a cinnamon cream liqueur. I think it tastes like rice pudding or close to Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. A friend of mine asked me to make her RumChata cupcakes with coconut for her birthday. I could not figure out how to mix the two flavors. I came up with a RumChata vanilla cupcake, filled with whipped coconut white chocolate ganache, and topped with RumChata buttercream. The result was a sweet cupcake with flavors of RumChata and coconut. I wasn't thrilled with how sweet the cupcakes came out, but they were delicious. I vowed to rock a do-over.

RumChata Cupcakes
Cupcakes inspired by Melissa Bakes 

1 stick butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup RumChata

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners.In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.Turn mixer to low and alternately add flour mixture and Rumchata in three additions, ending with flour.Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18 - 20 minutes.Cool completely on a wire rack and top with your favorite icing.

Whipped Coconut White Chocolate Ganache
Ganache inspired by Smitten Kitchen

4 oz. white chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Simmer the heavy cream and coconut extract in a small saucepan until hot and simmering. Pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for one minute. Stir until silky and smooth. Let cool for a few minutes. With a hand mixer, beat ganache on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy.




Rumchata Buttercream
1 stick butter (room temperature)
2–3 cups powdered sugar
3–4 tablespoons RumChata

Beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and RumChata one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Beat well.