Guinness Chocolate Cupcake with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

So Wednesday is my husbands birthday. Sadly I wont be able to spend it with him so I decided to bake him some cupcakes with his favorite beer.  I found this recipe and I thought I would share it with you.

This recipe will make roughly these options:

-12 Cupcakes and a Loaf Cake (loaf pan)
-24 Cupcakes
-Fill 2 9in. Cake Pans.

So obviously the varieties are endless. I personally went with the 12 cupcakes and loaf cake.  Only because after I filled the tin cupcake liners, I had a limited amount of the batter left over. I do believe that whatever you do, you should bake it all at once... Meaning, use 2 muffin/cupcake pans instead of baking one batch and switching it out to bake another. I haven't tested my theory but I do think that the baking soda and sour cream could ultimately make the cupcakes in the second batch too dense to be official "cupcakes". It all worked out though because my husband got to take a nice loaf cake smothered in frosting back to his school. (long story).

Alright! Recipe Time!!

Guinness Chocolate Cupcake


2 C. All Purpose Flour
1/2 C. Hershey's Cocoa Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 C. Granulated Sugar
1/2 C. Light or Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Unsalted Softened Butter
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
1/2 C. Sour Cream
12 fl.Oz. Guinness Stout or Extra Stout (one full bottle)


Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or line two 12 count muffin tins with paper cups of your choice.


 -Using a Stand or Hand Mixture (if using stand use paddle attachment).  Beat the butter, and sugars together until a light and fluffy consistency. Add one egg at a time to insure an even mix. Then add the vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy. 

- In a large bowl, Mix the remaining dry ingredients together. (Flour, Cocoa, Salt, Baking Soda).

-Now add in the Sour Cream to the Sugar Mixture and beat until smooth. 

-Slowly pour Guinness into Sugar mixture, then start to integrate the remaining dry ingredients into the mixture. Make sure you beat it til a smooth consistency and scrape the sides to make sure there are no flour clumps. 

-Fill Muffin Pans a little over half of the way up.  This gives you the perfect cupcake ratio.  If you decide to go the 12 cupcake / loaf pan route, make sure you put both of them in the oven at the same time, but just add 20 more minutes to the baking time (after cupcakes are done).

Bake at 350* For:

Cupcakes: 20-25 Minutes.

Layer Cakes: 25-30 Minutes.

Loaf Pan: 35-40 Minutes.

Remember to test the cupcakes/cake with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, (out of the center of the cupcake) then they are done!

Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

3 C. Confectioners Sugar (Sifted)

1 C. Unsalted Softened Butter 

2 Tbsp. Whipping Cream

1 to 2 Tbsp. Bailey's Mint Chocolate Liquor

Directions:

-In a standing mixer, fitted with a whisk.. Mix together sugar and butter.  Mix on low speed until well blended (powder will go everywhere if you go faster).  Beat for about 2 to 3 minutes.

- Add whipping cream and Baileys on a medium speed for 1 minute.  Add more baileys to your tasting/spreading needs.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe and let me know what you think! I love anything Irish so these cupcakes are definitely going to come back around for St. Pattys Day! Hmm... Maybe I'll make the frosting with Cream Cheese instead.  We will see :)