Week 28: Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

I made the family Christmas letter the first year I dated Brad. His grandma included me and described me as "a nice Irish girl." I'm definitely not Irish (and just how nice I am is debatable), nevertheless it seems right to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

I present Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Icing.



Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from:
Cupcakes Take the Cake
The Cupcakery
Makes 24 cupcakes

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1 cup stout
3 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract




Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two muffin tins (for 24 cupcakes) with paper liners.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to combine melted butter, sugar, and stout. Add the eggs, one at a time. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until incorporated.



Divide batter evenly into paper-lined muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating pans once, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and turn onto a wire rack. Let cool completely before icing.

Chocolate Ganache

12 ounce package Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine both ingredients in a double boiler.

Continue to mix thoroughly over boiling water until ingredients are smooth and chocolate is completely melted.

Layer this ganache on completely cooled cupcakes and allow to harden.

Bailey's Buttercream

4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 (2 1/2 Tbsp. Bailey's Irish Cream)

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and salt for about 30 seconds.

Add half of the powdered sugar and the milk to the butter and beat again until combined. Scrape down the bowl.

Add the remainder of the powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl again.

Add Bailey's Irish Cream and beat on high speed for 5-6 minutes or until the frosting is fluffy.



My notes:
The cupcake batter made WAY MORE than 24 cupcakes. I stopped at 24 and threw the rest of the batter away. The ganache would have frosted 100+ cupcakes. I should definitely have only made a half batch. The frosting was just about perfect for 24 cupcakes.

The cupcakes themselves were really flavorful but a little dry. I think I may have made then too small and over-baked them.

The ganache and the Bailey's buttercream were a delicious combination.

I'd imagine these would taste great washed down with a Shamrock Shake.