• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Waiting for Blancmange
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Cupcakes

    Pisco Cocktail Cupcakes

    Published: Jul 12, 2021 · Modified: Aug 13, 2022 by Liz Mincin · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Inspired by the iconic Peruvian Pisco Sour cocktail, my Pisco Cocktail Cupcakes are a perfect zesty cake with a tipsy twist. With the addition of a pipette of pure Pisco, these are a cocktail and a cake all at the same time!

    Pisco sour cupcakes with pipette of Pisco.

    What is a Pisco Sour?

    My husband and I had the opportunity to visit Peru in 2019, where we were first introduced to Pisco. The liquor is a clear brandy, produced in South America (primarily in Peru and Chile). It is considered the national drink of Peru and many places we stayed during our holiday offered a Pisco Sour as a welcome drink.

    Easy Pisco Sour Recipe:

    The classic Pisco Sour is a simple mix of Pisco, lime juice, simple syrup and an egg white.

    The ratios of these may vary, but my favourite version is:

    • 1 part simple syrup
    • 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice
    • 3 parts Pisco

    These are shaken together, with ice and an egg white, to produce a great frothy topped cocktail.

    A couple of dashes of Angostura bitters finish the drink.

    Where to find Pisco

    Pisco is exported from Peru and is available in specialty drinks stores. It is more widely available in the US than the UK, but is still a bit of a lesser known liquor. In the UK, The Whisky Exchange has a wide range of Pisco. I usually use Barsol.

    Cocktail Cupcake Recipes

    Boozy cupcakes have been a popular trend seeing many favourite cocktails turned into fun cakes. They are great for parties, offering a bit of a tipsy change to classic cake flavours.

    The key to cocktail cupcakes is all about capturing the main flavours in your favourite drinks. This is often easiest with cocktails that have strong fruity flavours, such as strawberry daiquiris or piña coladas.

    The addition of a pipette of the primary liquor gives a fun touch that brings it all together!

    Pisco Sour Cupcakes

    My Pisco Sour Cupcakes are made up of three main parts:

    1. Lime Pound Cake Cupcake

    The primary fruit flavour in a Pisco Sour is the zesty lime. So, for the base of my Pisco cocktail cupcakes, I've used a lime cake, which is an amended version of my classic thrifty pound cake.

    By using lime juice to sour the milk for a pound cake, you begin to infuse lime as a flavour into the recipe. With the addition of lime zest, the cake becomes a lime pound cake.

    I also add a tablespoon of Pisco direct to the batter to help bring the notes of the liquor to the bake. This alcohol will bake off in the oven, but flavour remains.

    Ingredients for soured milk made with lime.
    Squeezing fresh lime juice into a measuring cup for lime flavoured soured milk.
    Ingredients for making pisco sour inspired cupcakes.
    Twelve hole cupcake tin full of cupcakes ready for the oven.
    Twelve hole cupcake tin with cupcakes fresh from the oven.

    2. Lime Curd Filling

    These lime cupcakes are then filled with a lime curd. You can use either shop bought lime curd or make your own, following my recipe for a small batch lime curd. If making your own, you can add in a bit of Pisco to help accentuate this further. Again, if adding while cooking the curd, the alcohol in this will cook off.

    Filling cupcakes with lime curd.

    3. Meringue Top

    Instead of icing, I cover my Pisco Sour Cupcakes with a meringue top. This is an ode to the egg white part of the classic cocktail. Meringue is also a lighter flavour and texture than a buttercream, which would be a bit overpowering with the rest of the cake.

    If you make my lime curd recipe, use the leftover whites from the curd to make the meringue.

    Adding meringue to the top of pisco sour cocktail cupcakes.
    Meringue topped cupcakes on a baking tray ready for the grill.
    Meringue topped cupcakes on a baking tray, lightly browned from the grill.

    Pipette Cupcakes

    The final touch for my Pisco cocktail cupcakes is the pipette of alcohol. Little pipettes full of Pisco make for a special tipsy touch. Though Pisco is infused throughout the rest of the cake, it is cooked off elsewhere. If you are wanting to add a bit more of a punch, the pipette lets you have a tiny shot of Pisco along with the cake.

    Pisco sour cupcake sliced in half to show the lime curd filling.

    FAQs for my boozy cupcakes

    How long do these cupcakes keep?

    The cupcakes can keep for a day or two, but the meringue top will sweat in the fridge. If you are planning to make these ahead, I would recommend leaving off the top until the day you will be eating them. This will ensure they are at their freshest. The cakes, without the meringue can be kept for about 3 to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container. They can also be frozen, though I would freeze unfilled.

    I can't find Pisco, what alternatives could I use?

    In this recipe, tequila would be a suitable substitute for Pisco to give a similar tipsy punch, working well with the lime.

    Could I use lemon instead of lime?

    Technically yes, any citrus fruit could be used in this recipe for a zesty cake. Lemon may be a bit overpowering and lime pairs best with the Pisco.

    If you like this recipe, you may also like:

    • Tres Leches Cupcakes
    • Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
    • Grandma's Classic Pound Cake
    • Peach and Cinnamon Cupcakes
    Pisco sour cupcakes with pipette of Pisco.

    Pisco Sour Cupcakes

    Liz Mincin
    A fun boozy dessert inspired by the Peruvian classic cocktail Pisco Sour. Lime cupcakes, filled with lime curd, topped with a light meringue and finished off with a pipette of Pisco.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Cooling and Assembly 1 hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Peruvian
    Servings 12 cupcakes

    Ingredients
      

    Ingredients for Pisco Lime Cupcakes

    • 1½ cup plain flour
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ cup whole milk
    • 1 lime, zested and half juiced
    • ⅓ cup lime curd
    • 1 tablespoon Pisco

    Ingredients for Meringue Topping

    • 2 egg whites
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • Pisco for pipettes (optional)

    Instructions
     

    Instructions for the Lime Cupcakes

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175C/155C Fan) and prepare a 12 hole cupcake tin with cases.
    • Juice half a lime into a ½ cup measure and top up with whole milk. Give this a stir and set aside for 10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
    • In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, and add the tablespoon of Pisco.
    • Add half of the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Then add the soured lime milk, beating to combine and then the rest of the flour along with the lime zest. Beat until just fully incorporated.
    • Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre of one of the central cupcakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
    • Once cool, use a large piping tip or a sharp knife to core out the centre of the cupcake for filling. Take care not to cut to the bottom as you will want cupcake at the base. Reserve the centre cake pieces.
    • Fill each cupcake with a dollop of lime curd (about a teaspoon). Replace the cake cores on top of the curd to act as a cork.

    Instructions for Meringue Top

    • Using a handheld electric whisk, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
    • Slowly add the sugar about a tablespoon at a time and continue beating until stiff peaks forms.
    • Pipe or spoon the meringue on top of the cupcakes.
    • Using either a handheld torch or the grill function in an oven, toast these until lightly browned.
    • Finish with pipettes of Pisco.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @waitingforblancmange or tag #waitingforblancmange!

    More Cupcakes

    • Mini Egg Cheesecake Bites
    • No bake mini biscoff cheesecake bite with whipped cream and Lotus Biscoff cookie pieces.
      Mini Biscoff Cheesecakes
    • Mini Oreo cheesecakes.
      Mini Oreo Cheesecakes
    • Cinnamon cupcake with a bite taken out of it.
      Cinnamon Cupcakes

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Image of Liz Mincin blogger and recipe developer behind Waiting for Blancmange.

    Hi, I'm Liz! I'm an American expat in the UK, with over 20 years experience baking and creating desserts. Taught tricks and tips by my mother and grandmothers, I'm sharing recipes and baking tips from my Italian American and Southern roots, along with a few British staples picked up from my time living across various regions in the UK.

    More about me →

    St Patrick's Day Recipes:

    • Baileys chocolate tart with slices cut and one laid on its side to show layers in dessert.
      Baileys Chocolate Tart - Ultimate Baileys Irish Cream Dessert
    • A single cup of pistachio panna cotta topped with Amarena cherry syrup and pistachio brittle.
      Pistachio Panna Cotta - My New Favourite Creamy Dessert
    • Taking a bite of creamy Baileys cheesecake.
      No Bake Baileys Cheesecake
    • Cardamom pistachio pound cake on a wooden board being sliced.
      Cardamom Pistachio Cake

    Getting Ready for Easter:

    • Close up of a gooey chocolate chip shredded wheat Easter nest cake made with salted pretzels and topped with Cadbury mini eggs.
      Easy Chocolate Shredded Wheat Easter Nest Cakes
    • Slices of Easter brookies with mini egg cookie bar base topped with mini creme egg brownie top.
      Easter Brookies - Cadbury Mini Egg Cookie Bar Topped with Mini Creme Egg Brownies
    • Cadbury creme egg blondies.
      Creme Egg Blondies - Easy Springtime Treat Bar
    • Mini egg cookie cake close up of slice.
      Mini Egg Cookie Cake - Ultimate Giant Easter Cookie

    Featured In:

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Waiting for Blancmange