Jack and Coke Cupcakes; topped with Jack Daniels frosting and Coke bottle gummies

Jack and Coke Cupcakes

Ever since I made a jack & coke cake...

....I wanted to put the same flavors into cupcakes!  Layer cakes are super fun, but they can be a bit time-consuming and laborious…Jack & Coke’s a pretty easy drink, so I felt like cupcakes almost fit the drink better than a layer cake 😉

I read online that cupcakes can be made with a boxed mix and a can of soda. That sounded pretty perfect for what I wanted to do. So it was time for some recipe testing! 

The process - 

I did definitely want both the Coca Cola and Jack Daniels flavors both in the cupcake. So I added in 4 oz of Jack Daniels whiskey along with 8 oz of coke in the cupcakes. And (imho) - it worked! I definitely got both flavors tasting the cupcake. 

Be forewarned - anyone coming through the kitchen when you make these may have questions, lol.  There was a definite distinct smell of whiskey in the kitchen as these were baking, and everyone in the house wondered what I was up to! 

It's not really possible to add enough Coca Cola to a cupcake filling to flavor it and maintain a 'filling' consistency. So I added coke flavoring to the filling, and thought it worked really well! It's not exactly a common well-stocked flavoring, so you may need to pick some up online if you'd like to try it. 

A bit of Jack Daniels rounds out the flavors in the frosting - honestly one of my favorite flavors! The Coke bottle gummies made a fun topper - and made decorating super easy! (That said, they can definitely be left off if you're not a fan! I know not everyone is.) 

Recipe below! 

Why you'll love these cupcakes...

  • Insanely easy and still delicious! 3 ingredients for the cupcakes; 5 ingredients for the (homemade!) frosting 
  • Optional Coca Cola filling - you may have to do a bit of looking or buy Cola flavoring online, but it's worth the effort! 
  • A cinch to decorate - just add a couple of Coke bottle gummy candies! 

FAQs

"Cake mix...not really my thing. Do I have to use a cake mix?"

  • Not if you don't want to! (As a convenience enthusiast, my hat's off to you!) 
  • You can find my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe right here. Just sub in Coca cola for the milk and add 4 ounces of Jack Daniels whiskey. Leave out one egg. 

"Can I make the cupcakes and/or frosting in advance?"

  • Definitely! Wrap the cupcakes well and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months. Transfer the frosting to a zip-lock bag and squeeze out the extra air, and again - refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

  • On a related note – cover any remaining cupcakes well after serving to keep them from drying out. As long as they're protected from drying out, they'll keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 3-5 days. 

(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!) 

Don't forget to pin for later! 

Jack & Coke Cupcakes pinterest pin
Jack and Coke Cupcakes; topped with Jack Daniels frosting and Coke bottle gummies

Jack and Coke Cupcakes

Sarah H
These Jack and Coke cupcakes feature an easy (3-ingredient!) whiskey- & coke-flavored cupcake, Coca-cola filling, and Jack Daniels frosting!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Decorating time 15 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cupcakes
Calories 470 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

JACK & COKE CUPCAKES:

  • 1 box Cake mix, Vanilla (Vanilla or white; I prefer Duncan Hines)
  • 8 oz Coca cola (1 cup, about 2/3 of a regular can)
  • 4 oz Jack Daniels whiskey (1/2 cup)

JACK DANIELS BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

  • 8 oz cream cheese (one package; softened)
  • 1 cup butter, softened (two sticks; softened)
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-4 Tablespoons Jack Daniels whiskey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

CUPCAKE FILLING:

Decorations

  • 24-48 Coke bottle gummy candies (I found these at a local grocery store; available on Amazon if they’re not sold in your area)

Instructions
 

Cupcakes

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (180C), and prepare 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
  • Combine cake mix with soda and whiskey; beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes.
  • Divide into cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full (I like to use a large cookie scoop for this part).
  • Bake until firm to the touch in the center – this took about 15 minutes in my oven. Cool completely on wire racks before decorating.

Meanwhile, make your frosting!

  • Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with whiskey until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add salt and beat until well combined.
  • Remove about ¾ c of frosting from the bowl into a smaller bowl, and add coca cola extract. Stir in your food coloring - I wanted a coke color to my filling, so I made it pretty dark brown, but this is optional
  • Once the cupcakes have cooled, you're ready to core them. (There are a few ways you can do this....you can buy a cupcake corer, you can try using the non-business-end of a large piping tip, or....you can do what I do and cut a circle out with a plastic knife. ;) ) Transfer filling into your cored cupcakes - you can do this with a piping bag or a spoon.

Decorating

  • Transfer your Jack Daniels frosting into a large piping bag with your desired piping tip – I used a large closed-star tip for the cupcakes in the photos. Pipe frosting in large swirls onto your cupcakes. Decorate the top of each frosting swirl with a coke gummy candy or two...done and done! Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 470kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 6gFat: 22g
Keyword Jack & Coke Cupcakes, Jack and Coke cupcakes
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