Chocolate Guinness, Whiskey, and Bailey’s Cupcakes

Well, St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner (again?!), so we’ll be doing some boozing and chewing in honor of the Irish this week. Fun part about this particular recipe? You can do both at the same time. These cupcakes are based on a popular drink that I have never indulged in because a) I hate the name, and b) I do not chug. I have been routinely mocked at bars for sipping on a regular-sized shot for upwards of thirty minutes, many times even eliciting a sarcastic round of applause for finally finishing it off. In what world am I going to willingly order something that’s going to turn into an undrinkable curdled mess within seconds? If I wanted an undrinkable curdled mess I’d just hit up the two-month-old heavy cream sitting in the back of my fridge that I keep forgetting to throw out.

These cupcakes will not curdle (no matter how long it takes you to eat them). And they’re so good I usually end up making them three or four times a year, and almost never around St. Patty’s. They really do embody the drink, but that almost isn’t important. The Guinness in the chocolate cake lends a slight bitterness in the same way that coffee does – it really brings out the chocolate. A whiskey-tinged chocolate ganache filling is a fun surprise in the center, and the Bailey’s frosting is just…I don’t even know. It’s insane. It’s Bailey’s. In frosting. Just make them – they are far better than the drink and, as an added bonus, you aren’t risking a (possibly warranted) punch in the face if you order one of these.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Guinness, Whiskey, and Bailey's Cupcakes

 

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A popular drink, turned dessert.

Category: Dessert

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 cup Guinness or other stout beer (Trader Joe's sells a good one)
• ½ lb (two sticks) unsalted butter
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup sour cream

Whiskey Ganache Filling

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp Irish whiskey

Frosting

• 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup Bailey's or other Irish cream liqueur

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the cup of beer and the butter. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in cocoa powder and mix until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl, whisk or beat eggs and sour cream until incorporated. Pour in chocolate/beer mixture and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture and stir or beat to incorporate.
4. Divide batter evenly among prepared cupcake liners, filling each ⅔ to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and tops spring back lightly when touched.
5. While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the filling. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for one minute, then stir until melted and smooth. Stir in butter and whiskey.
6. To make the frosting, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add the butter and beat for another minute. Gradually add the powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the Bailey's and beat until combined.
7. Use a paring knife to hollow out small circles in the middle of each cupcake. Fill each middle with the chocolate-whiskey mixture. Using a piping bag, decoratively frost each cupcake.

Notes

If spreading the frosting on the cupcakes rather than piping it, you can halve the frosting recipe.

3.2.2708

Source: Smitten Kitchen