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–+ servings
Multiple decorated Dr Pepper cupcakes with red and black striped straws on a red cake stand.

Dr Pepper Cupcakes

30 mins prep + 18 mins cook
383 kcal
Yields: 22 cupcakes
Have a Dr Pepper fan in your life? Then they're going to love these! Rich and moist chocolate buttermilk cupcakes with a hint of their favorite fizzy soda.

Ingredients

Chocolate Dr Pepper Cupcakes
Dr Pepper Buttercream Frosting
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup Dr Pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Chocolate Dr Pepper Cupcakes
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare muffin tin(s) with cupcake liners. Set pan(s) aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set bowl aside.
    2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer + large bowl), add in butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on low until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
    1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Keeping mixer speed on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then mix for 10-20 seconds. Pour in Dr Pepper, then mix for 10-20 seconds more. Add the other half of the dry ingredients, mix another 10-20 seconds, then pour in the buttermilk. Mix all ingredients until just combined. Batter should be thick and fluffy; be careful not to overmix.
    1 cup Dr Pepper, 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • Pour cupcake batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cavities about 2/3 of the way full.
  • Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out clean.
  • Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Dr Pepper Buttercream Frosting
  • Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip butter and vanilla extract on high speed until fluffy.
    1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Drop mixer speed to medium and slowly add sugar to butter, mixing thoroughly in between.
    4 cups powdered sugar
  • Keeping speed on low, slowly mix in the Dr Pepper, adding one tablespoon at a time. Be sure to watch the consistency so that the frosting does not spit. You should be able to add anywhere from 4 to 8 tablespoons of Dr Pepper.
    1/4 cup Dr Pepper
Putting it all together
  • When ready to decorate, fill a pastry bag with prepared Dr Pepper buttercream frosting and a piping tip of your choice.
  • Frost each cupcake in a decorative pattern, then add a straw or fizzy sprinkles of your choice (optional).
  • Serve immediately.