Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Buttercream!

What says Happy St. Patrick's Day more than alcohol infused cupcakes?!? I can't think of anything! I came across the below recipe for Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Buttercream while browsing through Cupcakes Take the Cake blogspot. This recipe was originally posted on TheCulinaryChornicles.com then in a weird twist, my favorite blogger Annie's Eats then AGAIN in an email from my friend.

It was fate! All signs were pointing toward me making these cupcakes and who am I to deny fate? (Or baking with alcohol!) ;)

The stout made the cake extra moist and the Bailey's Irish Cream in the frosting packed the perfect punch! (Maybe because I added a little extra than advised ;) Regardless, these were definitely a hit!


Cupcake Recipe:

1 cup stout beer
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Irish Buttercream Recipe:

4 to 5 cups confections sugar
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temp
4 to 5 tbsp Irish Cream Liqueur

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake cups with paper liners.

2) Put the butter with the stout beer in a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Cool slightly.

3) In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a mixer bowl, beat the eggs and the sour cream together. Add the beer, butter, cocoa mixture and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat briefly just to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined, making sure to incorporate little pockets of flour on the bottom so that the batter is of equal consistency everywhere.

4) Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 if you want domed. Bake for about 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely to room temperature.

5) For the frosting, in a large mixer bowl, whip the butter for several minutes until very light and fluffy. Slowly add about half of the powdered sugar a few spoonfuls at a time until incorporated. Slowly drizzle the Irish Cream and whip until combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar until your desired consistency has been achieved.