Boozy Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes Recipe

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If you haven’t made Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes, the time is now. Moist and chocolatey, these boozy cupcakes are perfect for girl’s nights in and festive holiday parties.

Alcohol infused cupcakes are a fun and easy dessert idea that uses a boxed cake mix to keep things easy. These rich, adult-friendly cupcakes are sure to be a hit with your friends!

Frosted chocolate cupcakes on a table with a red wine cork next to them. — Red wine and chocolate are a perfect pairing in these boozy cupcakes.

This post was originally published on November 23, 2019 and has now been updated with more details so you can make these spiked treats perfectly every time!

With the word “cupcakes” in my blog name, people have asked me for years if I’m a cupcake caterer. I’m not. But I do love eating cupcakes. They are the perfect cake to frosting ratio.

If you’re a regular reader, you know I love easy cocktails and wine. So it just made sense that I would start sharing boozy cupcake recipes.

Why This Recipe Works

Wine and cupcakes should always go together, in my opinion. There’s nothing like sitting back in a comfy chair with a good glass of wine and a decadent cupcake.

So why not put the two together? Rich chocolate cupcakes are spiked with red wine to create a delicious dessert that you’ll crave.

Red wine cupcakes make everything feel even more celebratory. And yet they are so simple to make!

Boxed Cake Mix desserts are a great way for people who don’t feel confident baking to make tasty treats. I’m not a scratch baker and think it’s easy to get a consistent flavor every single time.

And while it takes a few minutes to make the red wine reduction for the frosting, the flavor is totally worth it! Just be sure to plan ahead since you need to let it cool completely before adding to the recipe.

If you’re more into white wine, you can try Sangria Cupcakes or Prosecco Cupcakes instead.

Ingredient Notes

Unfrosted red wine chocolate cupcakes on a table.

For the Cupcakes

These cupcakes start with a classic chocolate cake mix then melted chocolate and cocoa powder is added so you get a moist, extra chocolatey taste with lots of character.

Milk, butter and eggs are added to make a quick batter.

But things really heat up when the red wine is added. It pairs perfectly with chocolate cupcakes. Pinot Noir is a great choice since it typically has tons of fruit notes in it. (See more about wine selection in the FAQs below).

For the Buttercream

I try to start all my flavored frostings with my basic vanilla buttercream recipe. It’s my FAVORITE!

Be sure to head to that post for the directions and ingredient amounts. For preparation and planning purposes you should know you will need butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, heavy cream, salt and vanilla extract.

To that, you will add cocoa powder, more melted chocolate and red wine.

How to Make a Red Wine Cupcakes

Unfrosted Chocolate and Red Wine Cupcakes on a table.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In a bowl, carefully mix the chocolate cake mix with cocoa powder.
Add the melted butter and melted chocolate.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating with a hand mixer (this one’s my favorite!) until incorporated.
Slowly add the red wine and milk and mix until everything is incorporated and there are no lumps left.
Divide the batter between the cupcake liners and put them in the oven.
Bake for 18 minutes or until done.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely before decorating.

Frosted boozy chocolate cupcakes on a table.

This red wine-infused buttercream is rich and delicious! By simmering the red wine, it creates a more bold flavor that stands up to the chocolate really well.

In a saucepan over medium heat bring the red wine to a simmer.
Let it simmer until it has reduced in half.
Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
In a bowl combine the very best vanilla buttercream with cocoa powder.
Add the reduced red wine and mix.
Add the melted chocolate and mix with a hand mixer for 3 minutes.

Overhead shot of frosted chocolate cupcakes next to a red wine cork.

A simple swirl of the frosting is all you need to finish off these boozy chocolate cupcakes.

The wine amps up the chocolate flavor and the chocolate amps up the wine flavor. They are a match made in heaven.

These chocolate red wine cupcakes make a perfect edible gift idea. Just place them in a box, wrap them nicely and voila! Trust me when I say that everyone will love to get them.

Tips and Tricks

If you don’t have time to make the red wine reduction, you can just add the red wine, as is. You may not be able to taste it as much due to the chocolate.
To make these as efficient as possible, begin the red wine reduction as soon as you put the cupcakes in the oven.
If you have some leftover wine reduction, you can drizzle it over the top frosting or even add it into a pipette to add to the cupcakes.
To keep things even easier you can make the chocolate cake mix as written on the box and replace 3/4 cups of the liquid with red wine instead. The taste won’t be nearly as delicious but will work in a pinch!

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of red wine do I use?

Use a red wine that you like to drink on its own. Merlot, Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon will all work really well. While it doesn’t have to be expensive, it should be of decent quality.

How do you store these cupcakes?

You can store these red wine cupcakes in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 days. Unfrosted cupcakes will stay fresh longer. If you can keep the frosting separately that is best.

Can these boozy cupcakes get me drunk?

There is alcohol in the wine that is baked in the cupcake batter. While there is science that shows that alcohol cooks out during baking, not all of it will. However, the amount of wine, that is spread through the batter should not be enough to get you drunk from eating a cupcake. There is also red wine in the frosting, which will increase the amount by a little more. Use your best judgment.