Irish Chocolate Cupcakes

makes 14 cupcakes

Cupcake

• 1/3 cup Guinness stout
• 4 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 5 oz all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring Guinness and butter to a simmer. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to combine. In a standing mixer, beat the egg and sour cream until combined. Slowly add the Guinness and chocolate mixture, and stir until combined. Add flour mixture, and continue stirring until completely combined.

Fill each cupcake liner to 2/3 full (seriously, no more than 2/3), and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out completely clean, about 18 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan, and allow to cool completely on rack.

Jameson dark chocolate ganache

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp Jameson Irish whiskey

Finely chop the chocolate, and place in heat-safe bowl. In a small saucepan, heat cream until simmering, and pour over the chocolate. Allow to sit for 1-2 minutes, and then stir using a rubber spatula until smooth. Add butter and whiskey, and continue stirring until combined.

Baileys buttercream frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

Using the whisk attachment in your standing mixer, whip butter on high speed for five minutes. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add powdered sugar until incorporated. Add the Baileys, and increase speed to whip for another 2-3 minutes.