Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Recipe (2024)

Sounds weird, tastes great!! This unusual chocolate cupcake is so, so good. The cocoa, beer, and sauerkraut combination makes for an exquisite pairing you have simply must try! Easy to make, this beer cupcake recipe is unique and fabulous.

Do not let this crazy ingredient cupcake recipe put you off. It is DELICIOUS!!! While beer cakes are not unusual, the sauerkraut is certainly a bit of an odd ingredient in a cupcake. But, you cannot taste or smell sauerkraut brine in the cupcakes you have cooked in the oven. Once baked, the sauerkraut tastes like candied peel. The frosting is simply divine. Your friends and family will be asking for a second, and third, cupcake!

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Recipe

This is the ultimate in Oktoberfest food – a cupcake that contains both beer and sauerkraut! While you can find many main dish Oktoberfest recipes, an Oktoberfest dessert is more difficult to find. Until now.

Ok, so when my niece gave me this recipe last year, I went on a hunt to learn more about Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, and why I should use it. Dutch Processed Cocoa is also called alkalized, European style, or Dutched cocoa. There is a lot of information out there about Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, but this seemed to be the easiest for me to understand:

Dutch-process cocoa powder starts with cocoa beans that have been washed in alkaline solution of potassium carbonate. This wash neutralizes their acidity. So, dutch-process cocoa powder is neutral. Because it is neutral, it does not react with baking soda. It’s often paired with baking powder.

Alkalizing cocoa makes it darker in color, mellow in flavor, and dissolves easily into liquids. Oreo cookies are made from dutched cocoa! Yum.

Read more at Sally’s Baking Addiction

Dutch process cocoa has a smoother, more mellow flavor that’s often associated with earthy, woodsy notes. There are also heavily Dutched “black” cocoa powders that bring the cocoa powder to an alkaline level of 8. Since Dutch process cocoa isn’t acidic, it doesn’t react with alkaline leaveners like baking soda to produce carbon dioxide. That’s why recipes that use Dutch process cocoa are usually leavened by baking powder, which has a neutral pH.

Read more at Serious Eats

And yes, there is baking powder as well as baking soda in this recipe.

Tips and variations for making this beer and sauerkraut cupcakes recipe:

● The recipe for the chocolate beer frosting is no longer in the post. Search was unhappy with this recipe because I had two recipes card in the same post, so now you have to click over here to get the beer frosting recipe.

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Ingredients:

● 2/3 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
● 1½ cup Sugar
● 3 Eggs
● 1 cup Beer (stout is best)
● 1 tsp Vanilla
● ½ cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
● 2¼ cup Sifted Flour
● 1 tsp Baking Powder
● 1 tsp Baking Soda
● 2/3 cup Sauerkraut

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Mise en Place:

● Cupcake Pan (18)
● Cupcake Liners (to fit the pan)
● Stand Mixer + paddle attachment (you can use a whip if you like)
● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
● Spatula
● Sifter
● Bowl

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Directions:

● Line cupcake pan cups with 18 cupcake liners. Set aside.
● Preheat oven to 350°.

● Using paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream 2/3 cup Unsalted Butter and 1½ cup Sugar until smooth.

● Add 3 eggs – one at a time, beating until well mixed scraping down the sides as needed.

● Add 1 cup beer.
● Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
● Sift together ½ cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, 2¼ cup Sifted Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder and 1 tsp Baking Soda in a separate bowl.

● Gradually add sifted dry ingredients to wet ingredients.

● Fold in sauerkraut by hand.

● Fill prepared cupcake pan cupcake cups with batter, approximately 2/3 – ¾ full.

● Bake for 15-20 mins until tester comes out smooth.

● Cool on baking rack.
● Frost with the Chocolate Beer Frosting recipe

Need another cupcake recipe? You may enjoy these easy to make, from-scratch cupcake recipes:

● Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe – A moist and scrumptious carrot cake recipe. These from scratch carrot cake cupcakes are a taste of spicy deliciousness that are easy to make. Frosted or unfrosted this carrot cake recipe is simply fabulous.

● This Perfect Chocolate Cupcake Recipe really is perfectly delicious! So chocolately good, moist and flavorful – your entire family will love these chocolate cupcakes.

● Raspberry Rose Cupcakes – These Raspberry Rose Cupcakes are as delicious as they are adorable. The buzz will be strong when you serve these Raspberry Rose Cupcakes at your next family function, after dinner dessert or packed in a school lunch box!

● For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

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