• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Collaborate with us
  • Contact

Serena Lissy logo

  • Recipe Index
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Ice Cream
  • Recipes
  • Photography
  • Online Classes
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Ice Cream
    • Recipes
    • Photography
    • Online Classes
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Serena Lissy » Recipes » Recipes

    Published: Aug 6, 2021 · Modified: Jan 7, 2022 by serena · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    What's better than wine and chocolate? Well, wine-infused chocolate cupcakes! These delicious red wine chocolate cupcakes have a light wine flavor that goes well with the rich red wine buttercream frosting. The recipe for these delightful treats is quick and easy to make, combines a couple of my favorite things, and they are perfect for any celebration or occasion!

    Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes are infused with a red wine reductions for a rich and flavorful cupcake that's perfect for any celebration.

    Ringing In The New Year Or A Special Occasion

    Now that Christmas is over I'm attempting to wean myself from so many peppermint pastries. It was good while it lasted (sooooo good) but moving onto New Years' celebrations. These red wine chocolate cupcakes are just the thing I need for my New Year's Eve party. It's been years since I've gone out on the town for New Year's. I just can't make myself fight the crowds and pay the inflated prices for every venue in the city. A small get-together at the house is much more my speed lately.

    You know what I'm talking about. A few close friends, a few great bottles of wine or bubbly, some awesome appetizers, the NY times square ball drop in the background on the TV, all paired with some gourmet chocolate cupcakes like these chocolate cupcakes infused with red wine. You're going to love the deep and delicious flavor that's perfect for welcoming the New Year or any other special occasion you may have.

    Using Red Wine In Dessert Recipes

    Red wine makes a flavorful addition to many desserts. In cupcakes, it creates a moist texture and combines with chocolate for a richness that is unforgettable so you want to choose a red wine that you love. I'd stick with a cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, pinot noir, or just one of your favorite dry red wines.

    I was up in Northern California for a conference a while back and we went on a wine tour and did a few wine tastings. I loved this wine from Boeger winery up in Eldorado County. As many times as I have been wine tasting in California, I had never ventured to El Dorado County. It was a diverse place with stunning beauty. There was a great blend of gorgeous scenery, colorful history, and fun outdoor adventures. You can get the wine from the winemaker, or if you have your own favorite go ahead and use it.

    Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes Ingredients

    Ingredients In Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes

    The Boeger red wine made a great addition to the cupcake. I used it to create a wine syrup reduction and mix it with the buttercream to give the red wine frosting just a tiny bit of wine deliciousness. Now if you think you just want to go with plain buttercream, you don't need to add the wine. But if you like the color just add a few drops of gel food coloring to get the red frosting.

    • Red Wine
    • Sugar
    • All-purpose flour
    • Cocoa powder
    • Salt
    • Baking soda
    • Cultured buttermilk powder
    • Vegetable oil
    • Water
    • Eggs
    • Confectioner's sugar
    • Unsalted butter
    • Milk
    • Vanilla extract
    Red Wine Chocolate Cupcake Process Collage

    How to Make Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes

    For this recipe, I used the red wine reduction in the batter while baking, and I also used it once done baking.

    1. Boil red wine and sugar until reduced by half in a small saucepan.
    2. Combine the cupcake ingredients and bake 16-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    3. Once cooled, use a wooden skewer to poke a few holes in the top of each cupcake and drizzled some of the wine reduction into the holes and let the cupcake soak it up. (Just a tiny bit here. A little goes a long way. You could skip this part if you wanted. It depends on how much red wine flavor you like.)
    4. Make the buttercream frosting.
    5. Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!

    These cupcakes are the definition of a good dessert. They're rich and chocolatey with just enough red wine to make them interesting. As always we hope you enjoy these red wine cupcakes as much as we do. Please share if you end up making them, we always love to hear how it goes. If you find you are still longing for the peppermint like I am, these little chocolate peppermint meringues make great party food or even peppermint bark. Cheers to a Happy New Year!

    Red Wine Cupcakes on cake stand

    More Cupcake Recipes You'll Love

    • Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Pudding Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Pumpkin Stout Cupcakes

    Looking For More Recipes?

    Subscribe to my free newsletter to get new baking tips in your inbox monthly. Find me sharing new recipes and tips on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook.

    Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes on cake plate

    Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes

    A red wine reduction is used to infuse chocolate cupcakes with a rich flavor.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Cooling Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 24 Cupcakes
    Calories: 301kcal
    Author: Serena

    Ingredients

    Cupcake

    • 297 grams AP Flour
    • 425 grams sugar
    • 65 grams cocoa powder
    • 1.5 teaspoon salt
    • 12 grams baking soda
    • 45 grams cultured buttermilk powder
    • 170 grams vegetable oil
    • 470 grams boiling water
    • ¼ cup red wine syrup
    • 80 grams eggs

    Red Wine Syrup

    • 1 cup red wine (Your favorite type of red wine)
    • 1 Tablespoon sugar

    Buttercream

    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • 8 tablespoons unsalted room temperature butter
    • 2 tablespoons milk room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ⅛ cup wine syrup

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Line your cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners.

    Wine Syrup

    • Boil red wine and the tablespoon of sugar in a small saucepan until it reduces to half (about 10-15 minutes on medium low heat)

    Cupcakes

    • Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk powder into a mixing bowl of a stand mixer.
    • With paddle attachment mix on low speed to combine.
    • Add oil, water, eggs, and ¼ cup wine syrup one at a time to the flour mixture and continue mixing until blended together. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl.
    • Scoop the cupcake batter out with a cookie scoop and place into cupcake pan and bake for 16 - 20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
    • Remove from oven and let cool.
    • If you want more wine flavor, use a skewer and poke holes in top of cupcakes, use ⅛ cup of wine syrup and drizzle over tops of cupcake.

    Buttercream Frosting

    • In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the confectioners sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla on low speed until combined.
    • Stop the mixer and scrape the sides down.
    • Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 more minutes. (If frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time until creamy)
    • Stir in the remaining ⅛ cup wine syrup
    • This will make 2 cups of frosting. Use a piping bag to frost cupcakes.

    Notes

    Recipe Source: SerenaLissy.com
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database via Spoonacular API, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators. While this information can be helpful in estimating the nutritional information of a recipe, it is by no means accurate or official and is not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
     
    All images and content are copyright protected. Do not use our images without prior permission.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @SerenaLissy or tag #serenalissy!
    Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes on Cake Stand

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. What that means is if you click on one of our affiliate links, they may toss a few pennies our way for a commission.

    More Recipes

    • Gluten-Free White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies (Small Batch)
    • Make at Home Samoas - Homemade Samoas: Girl Scout Cookies
    • Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
    • Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqueline Meldrum says

      August 06, 2021 at 2:36 pm

      5 stars
      Oh yes please (she said while sipping red wine).

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 06, 2021 at 4:12 pm

        Ha! Happy Friday 🙂

        Reply
    2. Sara Welch says

      August 06, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      Whipped up a batch of these for an afternoon treat and it did not disappoint! Easy, rich and delicious! Exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth!

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 06, 2021 at 4:13 pm

        Thanks Sara!

        Reply
    3. Katia says

      August 06, 2021 at 2:12 pm

      5 stars
      What a refreshingly different take on cupcakes. I'm going to try this over the weekend

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 06, 2021 at 2:19 pm

        Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    4. Anjali says

      August 06, 2021 at 2:06 pm

      5 stars
      Omg what a fun twist on traditional chocolate cupcakes!! These look decadent and delicious - can't wait to try them soon!

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 06, 2021 at 2:19 pm

        Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    5. Nathan says

      August 06, 2021 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      You had me at red wine! Seriously, these cupcakes look absolutely fantastic. I don't think I've ever had cupcakes infused with wine before, so clearly I need to get on it ASAP. Can't wait to try them out!

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 06, 2021 at 1:33 pm

        They are delish! Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    6. Nicole Shillings says

      December 30, 2017 at 2:04 pm

      OMG! These look soooooooooo decadent and elegant. These would be perfect for Valentine's Day! What a treat!

      Reply
    7. Maria Katsulos says

      December 29, 2017 at 10:27 pm

      These look so yummy!! I'd definitely skip the red wine part for myself, LOL, but these look fantastic!!

      Reply
    8. Ariel says

      December 29, 2017 at 6:34 pm

      These cupcakes look so delicious! I really need to try this recipe, although they probably won’t turn out as pretty as these! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!

      Reply
      • serena says

        December 31, 2017 at 7:20 am

        Practice your piping on a piece of parchment paper and just scoop the frosting back into your piping bag when done. Let's you get some practice in without wasting frosting or cupcake 🙂

        Reply
    9. Heather says

      December 29, 2017 at 3:06 pm

      Wow, these look wonderful and would be so great for many of my friends. Definitely an awesome party food!

      Reply
    10. Molly Kumar says

      December 29, 2017 at 2:15 pm

      These look super fun to make as we do have some leftover red wine which I've been thinking where to use. I love the frosting on these too.

      Reply
    11. Meghna says

      December 29, 2017 at 10:12 am

      I won't be able to make it. But I sure want to eat it.

      Reply
    12. Doreen Pinto says

      December 28, 2017 at 2:50 pm

      Nice recipe. Looks tempting

      Reply
    13. Nailil says

      December 28, 2017 at 1:54 pm

      I love wine and cupcakes the same. This recipe which combines both, sounds just amazing. I am pinning it for later, so delicious.

      Reply
    14. Jessica Joachim says

      December 28, 2017 at 1:51 pm

      two of my favorite things, wine and chocolate, how can you go wrong!? I totally have to try these out soon!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Serena!

    Join us and you will learn all sorts of creative techniques from baking to food photography that is easy enough for a novice to recreate at home, but look and taste like they were made by a seasoned pro.

    Get Inspired, Cook Confidently, Eat Well

    More about me →

    Ice Cream Recipes

    • No Churn Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
    • No Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
    • Apple Ice Cream
    • Instant Pot Frozen Greek Yogurt
    • Easy Avocado Ice Cream Recipe
    • Mocha Ice Cream Sandwich

    Popular Recipes

    • Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
    • Peanut Butter Fudge Cups
    • Make at Home Samoas - Homemade Samoas: Girl Scout Cookies
    • Italian Chocolate Walnut Cake (Torta di Noci)

    Photography Challenge

    Master The Art of Food Photography

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Serena Lissy