Cocktail cupcakes for your New Year’s Eve bash

These cupcakes are sure to be a crowd pleaser at your New Year’s Eve party and beyond.
Credit: Provided

Before the strict diets and detoxes of 2014 start, indulge in these sinfully good treats which combine alcohol and sweets into one fun punch. Divine Chocolate, the fairtrade chocolate brand — which is actually co-owned by cocoa farmers in Ghana — partnered with New York’s adorable Prohibition Bakery the “original alcoholic cupcake company” for these boozy bites perfect to serve at your New Year’s Eve bash. See, you’re already starting off 2014 more efficiently.

Divine Figgy Pudding Cupcake
Recipe by Prohibition Bakery

Ingredients
Cake:
½ c of water
½ c of butter
1 egg
1/3 c of sour cream
1 1/3 c of flour
1 c of granulated sugar
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1/4 c Fig puree
¼ cup Divine Bittersweet Baking Bar (chopped into small chunks)

Filling:
¼ c Fig puree

Frosting:
½ c high ratio shortening (trans fat free, if possible)
¼ c Brandy
1/8 c Fig puree
¼ finely ground walnuts
1lb confectioners sugar

Garnish: Shaved Divine Milk Chocolate Baking Bar makes for a pretty and delicious garnish.
Yield: 50 mini cupcakes

Method

For Fig Puree:

1. Put half of package (roughly 8 oz) dried figs into blender or food processor, set on “puree.”
2. While processor is running, slowly add ¼ c of Brandy until fig puree reaches a jam-like consistency.

For cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Heat water and butter in a saucepan until butter is melted, taking care not to boil contents.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat sour cream and egg until combined.
4. In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add water and butter mixture to mixing bowl gradually.
6. Slowly add dry goods to wet and beat until smooth.
7. Add in chopped chocolate and fig puree.
8. In greased or lined cupcake tins, fill 2/3 way. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool on a cooling rack.

For frosting:

1. With paddle attachment, whip together confectioners sugar and shortening until crumbly.
2. Add Brandy and continue to beat until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally.
3. Add ground walnut and fig, continue beating and scraping until the everything is thoroughly mixed.

Assembly:

1. When cupcakes are cool, use a small pastry tip to core out the center.
2. Fill the cupcakes with the fig puree, using a squeeze bottle.
3. Frost the cupcakes to your liking.
4. Garnish with shaved chocolate.