Return of the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

Happy St. Patty's Day!!! Jeff and I started out our St. Patty's weekend celebrating our dear friends' puppy's 1st birthday. :) Too cute, and sooo funny to watch these pups eat their "pupcakes." 

Then, this morning I took Jeff to the airport at o-dark-thirty, so we found a breakfast place that was open before 6 am... The Five Point Cafe - dive bar and diner, and I can't believe we've never been there before - it's literally down the hill from us... I had a corned beef hash and J had a breakfast burrito. A nice treat before he's gone for a week on a business trip.

OK, now on to those cupcakes. :) This is a repeat recipe from St. Patrick's Day two years ago, and I had a hankering for them again. Since I'm going to Mom and Dad's tonight, I thought I'd contribute the yummy festive goodness. Someday, I will post the story of how I tried a Pinterest trick of making my own green glittery decorating sprinkles. Definitely one for that Pinterest failed project blog... 

I chose to use this Guinness Chocolate Cupcake &  Bailey's Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, from Nook & Pantry. Then the Irish Whiskey Chocolate Ganache filling from Smitten Kitten. The recipes for the cupcakes are similar on both sites, but I chose the first one because it went well with the frosting. And the Whiskey Ganache filling just makes these so much more exciting. Because what else do you put in cupcakes made with Guinness, topped with frosting made with Baileys... besides WHISKEY of course!!!! 

For the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting

2 C unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 C Dutch processed cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 C granulated sugar

1/2 C light or dark brown sugar

4 oz./1/2 C unsalted softened butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg

1/2 C sour cream (or greek yogurt)

1 12 fl. oz. bottle/1 1/2 C Guinness or stout beer

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter or line with paper cups two 12-count muffin tins.

In a large bowl briefly whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add one egg and beat until evenly mixed and fluffy, make sure to scrape down the mixer bowl once in a while. Add the second egg and vanilla extract and beat again until light and fluffy.

Add the sour cream and beat in, then with the mixer running, slowly pour in the Guinness.

Sift the dry ingredients into the batter and slowly stir the batter until it is evenly mixed and there are no streaks of flour. Make sure to stop the mixer frequently to scrape down the sides and make sure to mix up any flour pockets hidden on the bottom of the bowl.

Divide 1/4 C of batter into each muffin cup, you’ll get about 20 – 24 cupcakes.

Bake at 350 degrees F on the middle rack for 20 – 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake in the middle of the pan should come out clean. Make sure to rotate the pans halfway through baking. Set on a rack to cool to room temperature before frosting.

For layer cakes: baking 25 – 30 minutes, rotate the pans around halfway, a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes should come out clean.

Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz. bar of cream cheese, softened

1 4oz. stick of unsalted butter, softened

2 C confectioner’s sugar

4 – 6 Tablespoons of Bailey’s Irish Cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, add the cream cheese, butter, and confectioner’s sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly drizzle in the Bailey’s, more or less depending on how boozey you want the frosting, and beat until completely incorporated into the frosting.

Ganache Filling (This will leave you with extra filling, but is that a bad thing? I think not!)

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons good Irish whiskey 

I decorated mine to look like a tall glass of Guinness with the nice foamy goodness on top... in penguin cupcake wrappers because I'm awesome and ran out of plain foil wrappers. Penguins celebrate St. Patrick's Day, right?!

Also, I have no idea why this text is now showing up weird? It's really because these cupcakes are so important I don't want you to miss the recipe. :)