A Derby Winner: Mint Julep Cupcakes with a Browned Butter Bourbon Frosting

The Kentucky Derby is this weekend and what better treat to serve at your Derby party than these Mint Julep Cupcakes?!?!  Now I have made Mint Julep Cookies so when I got the idea for cupcakes I decided it was time to stop horsin' around and set to work in my kitchen to create my own recipe.  The first batch I made white cake with chocolate mint chips and a bourbon frosting.  And I'll be honest it tasted like a white cake with chocolate mint chips and bourbon frosting.  So back into the kitchen I went to create a cake that would compliment and enhance the flavors of bourbon.  And this second time I created a Derby Winner. 

I thought about what bourbon tasted like and the Carmel flavors came to mind.  Then, I thought about what ingredients I could build off of that... brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla.  Then I thought about what bourbon is made with and I remembered the mash that is made and thought why not incorporate some oatmeal into this recipe as well.  So I created an Oatmeal Bourbon Cake with a Browned Butter Bourbon Frosting.  As I was making this cake the batter smelled absolutely amazing.  The spices and bourbon swirled in the air to create this warm, sweet aroma that made my kitchen smell great.  I knew if the batter smelled that good then I was on to a very tasty cake. 

Ingredients:  1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup boiling water, 3/4 cup bourbon, 1 cup rolled oats, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:  Preheat over to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with cupcake liners.  In a small bowl pour the boiling water over the oats.  Add bourbon and stir together.  Set aside for 20 minutes and allow oatmeal to thicken.  In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.

In another bowl beat butter.  Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until combined.  Add eggs and then alternatively add flour mixture and oatmeal until combined.

Bake for 25 minutes.  Cool and then ice.

Next I worked on a great frosting that would carry some of that bourbon/mint flavor to top off my cupcake and came up with a Browned Butter Bourbon Frosting:
Ingredients: 1/2  cup butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 T. Bourbon, 1 tsp. vanilla.
Directions: Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted.  Then continue heating until butter turn a light golden brown.  In another bowl put powdered sugar, bourbon and vanilla.  Add butter to this mixture and beart on low until combined.  (To reach desired consistenacy either add more bourbon or more powdered sugar.)

Ice your cupcakes and then top with chopped Andes' Chocolate Mints.  The additional bourbon flavor in the icing seems to lighten the mint taste enough to get a perfect combination of spice, bourbon and mint.  This delicious Derby Dessert is sure to get your guest chanting "Go Baby, Go"!!!

This post was linked to: Cupcake Tuesday on Hoosier Homemade, Tasty Tuesday Beauty and Bedlam, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace, Hearth N' Soul on a Moderate Life, Delectable Tuesday on Home Sweet Farm, Made from Scratch Tuesday on From Mess Hall to Bistro, 2 Maids a Baking on 2 Maids a Milking, and Recipe Swap on Gooseberry Patch.