Mincemeat Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream Frosting

These Mince Pie Cupcakes combine fruity spiced mincemeat with a velvety brandy-spiked Swiss meringue buttercream. This gluten-free version uses alternative wholegrain flours, and can be swapped for regular wheat flour if preferred.

If you love mincemeat, these cupcakes are a seasonal twist when you want something fancier than a traditional mince pie. They keep all the warm, fruity flavours of mince pies but in a light, cakey form — perfect for gifting or entertaining over the holidays.

Why you’ll love these Mince Pie Cupcakes

• Filled with festive flavour from a fresh, fruity mincemeat.
• Light, bouncy sponge — tender and well textured.
• Silky, smooth brandy Swiss meringue buttercream adds richness without overpowering the mincemeat.
• Gluten-free recipe using alternative flours; you can substitute regular flour if you prefer.
• No xanthan gum required.

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Pro Baker’s Tips

• Use digital scales for accurate measurement — gluten-free baking benefits from precision.
• Add flour and liquid alternately (three additions of flour and two of liquid) to avoid overmixing.
• If you only have one 12-hole tin, bake in two batches; the batter holds up well.
• Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to portion the batter—about one and a half scoops per case for roughly two-thirds full.
• Remove cupcakes from the tin immediately to cool on a wire rack. This prevents excess moisture from softening the cases and helps the sponge stay intact.
• Cool completely before piping the buttercream so the frosting keeps its shape.

Brandy Buttercream Ingredients

• Egg whites – 180g (about 6) or use pasteurised egg whites from a carton.
• Caster sugar – can be substituted with granulated sugar if needed.
• Unsalted butter – room temperature and cubed.
• Salt – a small amount enhances the flavour.
• Vanilla extract – real extract gives the best taste.
• Brandy – a few tablespoons; use an affordable bottle.

How To Make Brandy Buttercream

1. Heat the egg whites and sugar in a double boiler, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 71°C.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until the meringue holds stiff peaks and cools to about 32°C.
3. Switch to a paddle, then add the butter slowly, cube by cube, on low speed. The mixture may look curdled partway through — this is normal; continue adding butter and beating until smooth.
4. Once smooth, add salt, vanilla and brandy, mixing until fully incorporated and silky.

Pro Baker’s Tips for Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• Use a sugar thermometer if this is your first time making SMB.
• Getting ingredient temperatures right helps, but the buttercream is forgiving and there are simple fixes for common problems.
• Adding butter slowly is essential; expect a temporary curdled look before it comes together.
• If the buttercream is too soupy, chill the bowl for 10–15 minutes then rebeat.
• If it seems greasy, warm the bowl slightly over a pan of simmering water until the edges soften, then beat until smooth.

Recommended Decorating Equipment

• Recyclable piping bags
• Large drop flower or 1M piping tip
• Small holly-leaf cutter and red icing for decoration (or ready-made decorations)

Can you freeze the cupcakes?

Yes. Freeze the sponges in a sealed bag for up to two months. You can also freeze fully decorated cupcakes if the piped buttercream is firm — chilling in the fridge first helps keep the shape while freezing.

More Mince Pie Recipes You’ll Love

• Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Pudding
• Christmas Mince Pie Cheesecake Bars
• Frangipane Mince Pies
• Almond & Mincemeat Christmas Sponge Cake
• Mince Pie Muffins — perfect for Christmas morning
• Gluten-Free Mince Pies

Have you tried these Mince Pie Cupcakes? If you made them and enjoyed the recipe, please leave a rating and review — feedback helps others and supports the recipe creator.

Mince Pie Cupcakes with Mincemeat & Brandy Buttercream

Fruity spiced mincemeat folded into a tender cupcake base, topped with a silky brandy Swiss meringue buttercream.

Prep Time: 1 hr

Cook Time: 18 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 18 mins

Servings: 18 cupcakes

Calories: 495 kcal

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 170g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 260g caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 100ml whole milk
• 90ml sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 130g sweet rice flour
• 30g potato starch
• 75g sorghum flour
• 70g millet flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 250g suet-free mincemeat

Brandy Buttercream

• 6 egg whites (about 180g)
• 300g caster sugar
• 420g unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp brandy

Instructions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan) and line two muffin tins with cupcake cases.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time on low speed.
3. Whisk milk, sour cream and vanilla together and set aside.
4. In a bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, bicarb and salt until combined.
5. Add the flour mix alternately with the milk mixture (three additions of flour, two of milk), beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
6. Fold in the mincemeat until evenly distributed.
7. Divide the batter into the cases and bake for 18–20 minutes. Remove from tins immediately to cool on a wire rack.

Brandy Buttercream

1. Heat egg whites and sugar in a double boiler, stirring until sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 71°C.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form and the mixture cools to about 32°C.
3. Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter slowly, cube by cube, on low speed. Continue beating until the mixture becomes smooth and velvety.
4. Stir in salt, vanilla and brandy, mixing until completely combined.

Decoration

1. Pipe the buttercream onto cooled cupcakes (a Wilton 1M tip or similar works well). Create holly leaves from green sugarpaste or use small cutters, and pipe red berries with a small round tip using tinted buttercream, or add ready-made decorations.

Notes

• Use suet-free mincemeat to avoid excess fat affecting the sponge.
• If you only have one 12-hole tin, bake in two batches; the batter is stable to rest briefly.
• Portion batter with a trigger-release scoop (about 1½ scoops per case) to ensure even cupcakes.
• Remove cupcakes from the tin right away to prevent moisture buildup in the cases.
• Cool completely before piping buttercream.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Tips

• A sugar thermometer helps if you’re new to SMB.
• Temperatures of ingredients help success, but common problems can be fixed as described above.
• Expect the frosting to look curdled during butter addition — this is normal; continue beating until smooth.
• If the buttercream is too soft, chill briefly and rebeat. If greasy, warm gently and beat until it comes together.

Nutrition

Calories: 495 kcal

Carbohydrates: 55 g

Protein: 4 g

Fat: 28 g (Saturated: 17 g)

Cholesterol: 100 mg

Sodium: 258 mg

Fiber: 1 g

Sugar: 41 g