These Fireball Poke Cupcakes are easy, addictive, and INCREDIBLE. If you like Fireball Whisky, you NEED to try these.
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I LOVE boozy cupcakes. Years ago, one of my closest friends discovered a bakery in RI that sold “Tipsy Cupcakes”… we were frequent customers. There’s something unique about them, even after all these years.
Every Christmas, I try to make one favorite dish for each family member… It’s a lot of work. My cousin LOVES Fireball Whisky, so I naturally made Fireball Cupcakes. They were a HUGE hit!!! People have been specially requesting them ever since.
This recipe has been adapted from Dish.com's Best Fireball Cupcakes Recipe.
I eventually made a Fireball Poke Cake with Caramel (you add caramel to the poked holes). That was also a HUGE hit. My aunt, who is VERY picky about food, was OBSESSED. I now combine the two - the cupcakes and the poke cake.
Hence, Fireball Poke Cupcakes!!!
How to Make Fireball Poke Cupcakes
They’re extremely easy to make. It all starts with a box of cake mix. I prefer to use Betty Crocker’s YELLOW cake mix. The key is to use Fireball Whisky instead of water. That’s it! And, to add one teaspoon of cinnamon for a little extra kick. Otherwise, you follow the directions on the box!
Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, poke holes in most of them. I do not add caramel to every cupcake. I always include some plain fireball cupcakes in addition to the fireball poke cupcakes. You can distinguish the difference by using different color cupcake liners and/or a different candy topping.
I like to use Atomic FireBalls for the Fireball POKE Cupcakes. For the regular, non-poked Fireball Cupcakes, I usually use Hot Tamales or Cinnamon Gummy Bears. The Gummy Bears are ADORABLE, but harder to find.
How to Make Fireball Buttercream Frosting
The frosting was a little more difficult to figure out than the cake recipe. It took me a while to figure out the correct amounts. There were times when I ended up with BOWLS of extra frosting because I could not figure out how to get the correct texture and taste. I just kept adding more powdered sugar… then more butter… then more Fireball Whisky… and the cycle continued!
Fortunately, I figured it out and can save you the hassle… and calories! Now, it’s simple and easy. You just need butter, fireball whisky, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
I mix everything by hand, so it takes some time to mix it smooth. If you have a hand mixer, it’ll whip up in no time at all. You can do it without a mixer though! I’m living proof! I always make HUGE messes with those things!
Fireball Poke Cupcake Essentials
Here are some ingredients and tools to make baking your boozy treats easier. I only recommend products that I use and LOVE. Happy Baking!!!
Mixing Bowls - These Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Airtight Lids by REGILLER are AWESOME. They include different sizes and different color lids, which make them perfect for storing food as well as mixing batter. I love multi-purpose items. Each bowl has measurement lines inside. AND has a non-slip silicone bottom, so your bowl won't fly away while mixing.... It happens...
Spatulas - I used to only use regular Tablespoons to mix and gather. Then, I tried a spatula. It makes things so much easier! No more wasted batter! I like this High Heat-Resistant Premium Silicone Spatula Set. It's BPA-Free, Nonstick, AND includes four different shapes for various gathering needs.
Measuring Cups & Spoons — I prefer different color cups and spoons, so I can quickly identify which one I need (after awhile, you naturally memorize which amount is which color). This 12 Piece Measuring Cups and Spoons Set by U-Taste is rust-resistant, sturdy, and dishwasher-safe. It includes 12 different sizes, including ⅔ cup and ¾ cup.
More Baking Essentials
Cupcake Pan - Wilton's Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Muffin and Cupcake Pan is great, inexpensive, and effective.
Cupcake Liners - I LOVE using these Wilton Baking Cups for this recipe. They're adorable. You could also use a solid red cupcake liner. The red visually compliments and balances any red toppings.
Speaking of toppings…
Atomic Fireballs (my absolute favorite to use)
For the poking…
Smucker’s Sundae Syrup Caramel - The squeezable bottle makes filling in the "poke" sooo much easier!
Cupcake Caddy with Cupcake Pan - I am OBSESSED with my Main Stay 24 Cupcake Carrier. I’ve had it for years. It makes transporting cupcakes extremely easy. They don’t shift, flip, or mush together. I also use it to store my cupcakes. It keeps them fresh for awhile! The bottom shelf of the caddy is a nonstick cupcake pan! I use mine to bake all the time. Gotta love multi-purpose items! *This item is currently unavailable on Amazon. Buddeez Cake and Cupcake Carrier is pretty great too. You can snap multiple carriers together. It doesn't include a nonstick cupcake baking pan, BUT it does include cut-and-serve utensil.
Fireball Poke Cupcakes – How to Make This Boozy Favorite
Ingredients
Boozy Cupcakes
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix (you can use Vanilla instead. I just prefer the taste of the yellow).
- 1 cup Fireball Whisky (instead of water)
- 3 Eggs
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon ground
- 1 bottle Smucker’s Sundae Syrup Caramel in a squeezable bottle (it makes filling the holes soooo much easier)
Boozy Frosting
- 2 tablespoon Fireball Whisky
- ½ cup Butter softened
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 ¼ cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
For the Fireball Cupcakes:
- *** Follow the directions on the cake mix box, except substitute Fireball Whisky for water.*** Use 1 cup of Fireball Whisky instead of the 1 cup of water that the box calls for.
- Mix and bake as directed by the box.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely.
Poking with Caramel
- With a straw, poke holes in the cupcakes. If you want more caramel flavor, add more holes. If you want less, poke less holes. I usually poke 2-3 holes in each cupcake.
- Pour caramel in each hole. This is WAAAYYY easier with the squeezable bottle, which is why I listed it in the ingredients. You can aim directly in the hole. Add a little caramel to each hole and wait. If you rush or add a lot, it will overflow. I like to put a little caramel in each cupcake then circle back around. Once the caramel flows down, you will see if you need more. If the hole isn’t completely full, add a little more.
For the Fireball Buttercream:
- In a large bowl, beat room temperature butter.
- Add Fireball Whisky and Vanilla Extract. Continue to mix.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined.
- Once combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until thick and creamy (about 1-2 minutes).
- Frost your boozy cupcakes and decorate!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Please let me know what you think!
Katie says
My cupcakes completely sunk with this recipe. I don’t think swapping the alcohol for water was a good idea. They were also very dry.
Mischka says
I'm truly SHOCKED to read this. I have made this recipe SO many times for YEARS. My cupcakes have NEVER sunk at all. I'm so surprised. I've also never had any complaints about them being dry. Most people say the opposite. I wonder if something else affected your cupcakes. Oven times do vary. Maybe they were baked too long?
Mischka says
I just did some research. Over-beating the batter can cause cupcakes to collapse. Overfilling the cupcake liners, underbaking, incorrect mixing (not in the order needed) can all also cause them to collapse. Because you said the cupcakes were dry, I would say the issue wasn't underbaking. That usually occurs if a baked item is baked a little too long. Like I said before, oven times vary. Sometimes, by a crazy amount. I will edit the post to encourage people to check with a toothpick and change the time depending on their own oven needs. Thank you for your comment!
Dulce says
I just made these for the first time and they turned out amazing!!! I made them for my best friend who loves fireball- we are celebrating her bday tomorrow and I’m going to surprise her with them! Hope she loves them too! Thank you for the recipe!!
Marie says
I followed this recipe exactly. It was about 2 minutes before the cupcakes were done so I wanted to check them. To my surprise when I opened the oven, it was like the flames from hell. Flames bellowed out. That was scary!!!! I hope my oven is not ruined.
Delicious but did not like the flame. I don’t think I’ll make them again.
Thanks.