.jeri.

Kristen had to go and tempt one of my biggest weaknesses (which is Baileys) by posting a link to a recipe for cupcakes made with Guinness and Baileys. The cake part is chocolate with a soft touch of Guinness (and you can drink the leftovers that don't go in the batter), there's a chocolate ganache center that has a hint of Baileys, and the whole thing's topped with a Baileys buttercream frosting. It's pretty ridiculous. I think I almost had a heart attack when I first tasted that first bite. I took the cupcakes to work and heard the following quotes:

"Your cupcakes made my day!"
"That was the best cupcake I have ever eaten!"
"Your cupcakes blew my mind!"

The people have spoken! Thus, I found it fitting to share the recipe with you. I know there are already a couple of links to recipes, but I thought I'd post the recipe myself as well, with some of the changes I would recommend for making these tasty treats. If the ganache seems like too much extra work to you, just the cake and frosting would still make a great combination. I think it's that Baileys buttercream that everyone loved.

Irish Cupcakes
(Makes 24-30 cupcakes, depending on how high you fill the liners)

Cupcake Ingredients:
2 sticks of unsalted butter
3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
3/4 teaspoon of salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup of (fat-free is what I used) sour cream

Ganache Filling Ingredients:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used about 1.5 cups of bittersweet morsels)
2/3 cup of heavy cream (maybe a little less)
2 tablespoons of butter, at room temperature (warm enough for a quick melt-down later)
2 teaspoons of Bailey’s Irish cream (maybe a little more?)

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:
2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
6-7 cups of powdered sugar
8 tablespoons of Bailey’s Irish cream

Cupcake Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend. Next, add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed. Pour batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full - this will yield a surface that is more or less even with the top of your liner. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 24 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ganache Directions:
The original recipe called for finely chopped chocolate. I used morsels and microwaved them for 30 seconds in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, place the bowl over a double boiler or give it a very short burst in the microwave (15-20 seconds). Add the butter and Baileys quickly (before the mixture has a chance to cool down too much) and stir until combined. Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped. If you use the fridge for cooling, make sure to check in and stir the mixture once in a while!

Cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake (I used a paring knife). Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag or frosting gun fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes.

Frosting Directions:
Place the butter in the bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated; if it doesn't combine completely, it will when you add the Baileys. Mix in the Baileys and beat until smooth. Add more if necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading. If you want less of a mess and prettier presentation, clean out that frosting gun and use it to top the cupcakes with frosting, otherwise a good old-fashioned knife won't harm the awesome flavor of these cupcakes.