This recipe was inspired by my good friend, Betty White. She loved licorice more than anyone I know! These cupcakes are made easy by using a boxed red velvet mix; then they’re stuffed with a delicious red licorice filling and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr 40 min |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 24 cupcakes |
Ingredients
- One 15.25-ounce box red velvet cake mix, along with required eggs and oil
- 10 strands red licorice, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large egg yolks, beaten
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Two 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red gel food coloring, for tinting
- 3 strands red licorice, cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Make the red velvet batter according to the package instructions. Mix to evenly combine, then divide the batter among the muffin cups evenly. Transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the red licorice filling: Add the licorice pieces and 2 cups water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat off and whisk vigorously to help break up the pieces of licorice. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
- Whisk the granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt and yolks into the cooled mixture, then return the saucepan to the stove. Heat over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture is thick and bubbly, 5 to 7 minutes. (The mixture will have a similar consistency to lemon curd.) Turn the heat off and let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a piping bag.
- Use a melon baller or round tablespoon to scoop out a tablespoon-sized portion from the center of each cupcake. Snip the corner of the piping bag and fill each cupcake with a heaping tablespoon of red licorice filling. Set the cupcakes aside.
- For the cream cheese frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese together in a bowl using a hand mixer on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and slowly incorporate the powdered sugar a cup at a time, making sure that everything is fully incorporated before adding more. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Add a few drops of food coloring and mix until the frosting is an even red color. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag. Snip the corner and pipe the frosting evenly among the cupcakes. Garnish each with a piece of red licorice.
- If not serving right away, store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 243 |
| Total Fat | 14 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 24 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 127 mg |
| Sodium | 110 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 243 |
| Total Fat | 14 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 24 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 127 mg |
| Sodium | 110 mg |