Guinness Jameson Cupcakes

Hey everyone! I’m back with a new recipe for Saint Patrick’s Day. I’m not Irish but I love to celebrate it. Maybe I’ll go to Tahoe this weekend with my husband to enjoy the cold weather and have a couple of beers for St. Paddy’s Day!

Here is a recipe of “Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes” which is an Irish cocktail shot transformed into cupcakes. For this recipe you’ll need 3 important things : Guinness, Irish Cream and Jameson whiskey. Guinness for the chocolate cake, Jameson whiskey for the chocolate ganache and Irish cream for the buttercream.

For the Irish cream I did not use Baileys, I got one at Trader Joe’s called Carolans, it worked pretty good (I think it’s less heavier than Baileys).

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

  • 1 cup  Guinness stout (not cold)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (cut in small pieces)
  • ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 2 cups  all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoons salt
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • ⅔ cup sour cream room temperature

For the Whiskey  Chocolate Ganache Filling:

  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • ⅔ cup cold heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 teaspoons Jameson whiskey

For the Baileys Buttercream Frosting:

  • 2 cups  unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 5 cups (567 grams) powdered sugar (Please, use a good quality one and sift)
  • 7-8 tablespoons  Irish Cream (I used Carolans brand)

Optional:

  • Green Cupcake Liners
  • Green Sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two standard muffin tins with liners.

  1. Place the Guinness and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat (be sure to whisk it so the butter melts). Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat just for about 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool for 8 minutes in the pan, then remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. Make the Whiskey Chocolate Ganache Filling: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Immediately pour it over the chocolate, then let it sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the mixture from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped, about 30 minutes. (If it becomes too stiff, simply give it a good whisk )
  5. Fill the Cupcakes: Using a paring knife, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. Using a spoon, divide the prepared ganache between the centers of the cupcakes.
  6. Make the Baileys Buttercream: Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. Add the Irish cream, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.
  7. Using a decorating tip (I used 1M Wilton brand) frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles.
  8. Store the cupcakes in a container at room temperature (not fridge).

Enjoy!!