Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Whiskey Filling

When Sharon called to ask me to come hang with Wellman Farms at a horse show this past weekend, she mentioned that it was Sean's (the barn husband) birthday and we probably needed some cake. I took the hint, but went with cupcakes instead because they're easier to transport. I perused around for a fun recipe to try and when I came across beer cupcakes with whiskey filling and frosting I was in! Sean's my drinking buddy, so it was a perfect choice. I used a recipe from Smitten Kitchen (an excellent recipe source) and modified it a bit because I have an inability to NOT mess with a recipe. These are also called Irish Car Bomb cupcakes, but I skipped the Bailey's Frosting and made some up because I just didn't feel like going to the store again.

The first thing you need is some Guinness. Walk to the gas station across the street from your apartment, they will only have a liter bottle so you will look like a lush. Great fun amongst the interstate gas station patrons.

You'll only need a cup (sans fizz), so you can proceed to take a very awkward photo of yourself drinking the rest. Honestly- it's too strong/bitter for me. I couldn't finish it all. 

Put beer and butter into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Add your cocoa and stir until it's dissolved (so far, this recipe is going well, right?) 

While the beer mixture cools, blend the eggs and sour cream. Mix together remaining dry ingredients in another bowl. Add the beer mix to the egg mix and blend well. Slowly stir into the dry ingredients until completely blended. Bake. The cupcakes will need to be completely cool to hollow them out. I used the freezer for this- much faster. 

While your cupcakes are cooking/cooling you make your filling. I ended up having to melt chocolate in the end, but these packets are amazing for that job. Because melting chocolate is kinda tricky at times (see below). Now, I followed her recipe and the filling was awful! 

Not sure what I did wrong, but either buy the packets that are sweetened or melt chocolate chips like I did, OR sweeten with powdered sugar. Because adding granulated sugar to melted chocolate gets you this:

Disgusting. 

OK, back on track... use pre-melted and sweetened chocolate or slowly melt some semi sweet or milk chocolate chocolate chips in a pan with heavy cream and more butter. Whisk it together until melted and blended and add remaining ingredients.

This is what happens when you let your one-year-old niece play with your whisk:

Let the filling cool and hollow out your cupcakes. She used a one-inch piping tip. Personally, I finally found a use for my melon baller and it worked like a charm. Fill cupcakes. 

After that, all that's left if frosting! If you want to go for the Bailey's icing read the Smitten Kitchen Recipe. I did whiskey cream cheese and it rocked. 

If your kitchen looks like an Irish Car Bomb exploded in it, you did it right! :)

FULL RECIPE:

Cupcakes:

1 cup Guinness (or any stout beer)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

3/4 cup unsweetend cocoa powder

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 12/ teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

Bring the beer and butter to a simmer and stir in the cocoa until mixed. Cool slightly. Beat eggs and sour cream until well blended. Mix remaining dry ingredients. Add the beer mix to your egg mix, then slowly fold that into your dry ingredients until blended well. Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes (depending on your oven) and cool completely. 

Makes about 20 cupcakes. 

Ganache Filling:

8oz semi sweet or milk chocolate

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons of butter at room temp

2 tablespoons Irish Whiskey

Powdered Sugar to thicken. 

The original recipe did not call for powdered sugar, but I found that my finished product was a bit thin and probably would have seeped into the cupcakes too much, so I thickened with powdered sugar. 

Heat the cream until just simmering and add your chocolate. If it needs to melt, reduce your heat and stir regularly until the chocolate is melted and blended. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar in small amounts until the mixture is thick enough to stay in the cupcakes. 

Hole-out your cupcakes and fill with ganache.

Whiskey Frosting:

3 to 4 cups of powdered sugar

3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick of butter, softened

3 to 4 tablespoons Irish Whiskey

Mix the cream cheese, butter and whiskey until blended. Add powdered sugar until you have a good spreading consistency. Ice cupcakes.