March 25, 2012

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

*I'll be posting again on Tuesday because I am excited so show you my Spring Mantle. :)

Yes, I realize that St. Patty's Day has come and gone but I believe this cupcake is good all year round and when my friend Jonelle (You may remember her "to die for" Smore Cookies) sent these to me last week, I knew I couldn't wait until next year to showcase them. Therefore, I bring to you another guest blog post from my buddy Jonelle... and her baby girl Beth!




Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes


I first saw this recipe on Pinterest originally from this site (http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/14/irish-car-bomb-cupcakes/) and knew I wanted to make these as my second guest blog appearance.  I’ve never made cupcakes from scratch so I knew I wanted to challenge myself and give it a whirl.  And who doesn’t like a recipe with booze in it??  I baked them on St. Patrick’s Day to feel festive.  All in all, I was happy with how they turned out - and my co-workers were very appreciative :).

1. First I lined up all the ingredients I was going to use.  Since my hubby was unwilling to spend $32 on the smallest bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream he could find, we compromised and I ended up using Bailey’s Irish Cream Coffee Creamer instead.  The end result was still delicious, but I’m sure using the actual Bailey’s would have produced a stronger taste.


Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup light sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

For the Baileys Frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream – or Bailey’s Coffee Creamer

I started off by preheating my oven to 350 degrees F and lining my cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.



I brought the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a nonstick medium saucepan over medium heat.



Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.



2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine.


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 briefly.

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 the cupcakes on a rack.



3. To Make the Whiskey Ganache Filling: Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl.


Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it 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.


4. To Fill the Cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down. Transfer the ganache to a piping back with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.



5. To Make the Baileys Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip 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 Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.


6. Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.



Wow, those look amazing! A big thanks again to Jonelle (and browneyedbaker) for bringing us another gut busting, mouth watering recipe to try. Jonelle's awesome step by step instructions as well as all her instructional pictures are so helpful. I am a visual person so it is always helpful for me to see the steps.

So, who is tackling this project? My birthday is in a few months and I wouldn't mind these to celebrate. :)

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