I adore mince pies at Christmas time, and as soon as I see them in the shops I buy a box! I've seen different versions of Mince Pie Cupcakes, from other bloggers and from recipe websites. Some have had the mincemeat mixed into the batter, and others in the centre of the cupcakes. So I knew I had to make my own version. I decided to put a luxury mincemeat laced with brandy and port in the centre of a spiced sponge, and lavish it with brandy buttercream. A delicious luxury Christmas treat!
Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I used a baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
- I used golden caster sugar for the cupcakes, but you can also use regular caster sugar.
- The brandy in the buttercream is optional, replace it with milk if you are serving these cupcakes to children or anyone who should not consume alcohol.
- Mixed spice is a British spice blend containing cinnamon, coriander seed, nutmeg, clove, pimento and ginger. If you can't get hold of it, use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead, or try ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger and ¼ tsp nutmeg for a lovely festive flavour.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Mince Pie Cupcakes
To make the cupcakes, whisk together butter and golden caster sugar. Then add eggs and whisk in.
Next, mix in self raising flour and mixed spice. Then divide it between the cupcake cases. Bake them for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Then leave to cool completely.
Cut out the centre from the cakes with a cupcake corer or a knife. Fill them up with fruity mincemeat. Make the buttercream by mixing icing sugar, butter and brandy together. Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes, and add sprinkles too.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?
The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated, freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the buttercream.
Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?
Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.
Can the cupcakes be made gluten or dairy free?
Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cupcakes and the buttercream. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the cake if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
Can this recipe be made into a larger cake?
Yes! Head to my Mince Pie Cake recipe for the details.
What is the best kind of mincemeat to use?
I pretty much always use a shop bought mincemeat, but I always spend a bit extra to get a good quality one that's got added booze! Tesco do one in their Finest range that's laced with port and it's so yummy. You can also use homemade mincemeat of course, or you can add your own booze to shop bought mincemeat. Make sure to check the mincemeat is vegetarian friendly, most are nowadays but some can contain animal derived suet.
Are these cupcakes suitable for children?
No, because of the brandy in the buttercream and if you use a boozy mincemeat for the filling, these cupcakes should not be served to children, pregnant women, or anyone who cannot consume alcohol. If you would like to make an alcohol free version of these cupcakes, make sure to fill the cupcakes with a mincemeat that does not contain alcohol. You will also need to replace the brandy in the buttercream with milk and a flavour extract like almond or vanilla. Use 1 tsp of vanilla or almond extract, and 2 tbsp milk.
More tips for making the Mince Pie Cupcakes:
- I used a Jem 1E piping nozzle to pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes and the gold star sprinkles were from Tesco.
- You can decorate the cupcakes with any sprinkles you prefer. You could even go all out and add a mini mince pie on top of each one!
Troubleshooting
If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
- Cupcake tin
- Mixing bowls
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Electric hand mixer
- Piping bags
- Wilton 2D Piping nozzle
- Cupcake corer
- Mixed spice
*I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!
More mince pie recipes:
Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 175 g Butter or baking spread softened, unsalted
- 175 g Golden caster sugar or regular caster sugar
- 3 Eggs large
- 1 tsp Mixed spice see notes
- 175 g Self raising flour
For the buttercream & filling
- 200 g Mincemeat
- 200 g Butter softened, unsalted
- 400 g Icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp Brandy
For decoration
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and line a cupcake tin with paper cases
- To make the cupcake sponge, mix together the butter and caster sugar, ideally using an electric mixer, until smooth and fluffy
- Add the eggs and mix well
- Then gently whisk in the self raising flour and mixed spice
- Divide the mixture between the cupcakes cases, and bake them for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cupcakes comes out clean. Put them on a rack to cool completely
- Cut out the middle of each cupcake using a cupcake corer or a sharp knife
- Fill each hole with the mincemeat
- To make the buttercream, mix together the butter and icing sugar ideally with an electric mixer for the best results, when it starts to come together, add the brandy and mix until smooth. If the buttercream is too stiff then you can add more brandy to it
- Pipe the icing onto the cupcakes or spread on with a spoon
- Add sprinkles if you like
- Keep in a cool place in an airtight container, and eat leftovers within 3 days
Video
Notes
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I used a baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
- I used golden caster sugar for the cupcakes, but you can also use regular caster sugar.
- The brandy in the buttercream is optional, replace it with milk if you are serving these cupcakes to children or anyone who should not consume alcohol. You can also add 1 tsp of vanilla or almond extract for extra flavour.
- Mixed spice is a British spice blend containing cinnamon, coriander seed, nutmeg, clove, pimento and ginger. If you can't get hold of it, use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead, or try ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger and ¼ tsp nutmeg for a lovely festive flavour.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
Lauren Roffey
Kat these look really stunning
Susie @ Fold in the Flour
These look great! I love the idea of a mince pie cupcake - I love mince pies but most of the time have trouble with the pastry so a cupcake might help that! 🙂
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
Thank guys! Pastry can be tricky, so these are a great alternative 🙂
Miss C Flash
Ahh wow, I would have never thought of using mincemeat in cupcakes. This looks delicious x
Maisy
I won a work competition because of these cupcakes! So delicious and easy to make. I love all your recipes but these are a personal fave!!
thebakingexplorer
Aww that's wonderful news Maisy, well done! So glad you like my recipes 😀