CHOCOLATE STOUT CUPCAKES with WHISKEY GANACHE and BAILEY’S BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
Adapted via Brown Eyed Baker
Serves: 24

Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
♦ 1 cup Chocolate Stout
♦ 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
♦ ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
♦ 2 cups all-purpose flour
♦ 2 cups granulated sugar
♦ 1½ tsp baking soda
♦ ¾ tsp salt
♦ 2 large eggs, at room temperature
♦ 2/3 cup sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache:
♦ 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
♦ 2/3 cup heavy cream
♦ 2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
♦ 2 tsp Irish whiskey (Jameson as a preference)

For the Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting:
♦ 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
♦ 5 cups powdered sugar
♦ 6 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream

Directions:
Bake the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the stout and butter to a gentle simmer in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder, whisking until smooth – allow to cool slightly.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a bowl to combine; set aside. Beat the eggs and sour cream in a separate, large mixing bowl using an electric mixer until just combined. Slowly add the chocolate mixture to bowl, mixing until it is just combined. Add the flour mixture in batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition – do not overmix. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, about 2 tbsp of batter per cup. Bake until the tops seem set, or until a tester comes inserted in the center comes out clean, from 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes entirely on a rack.

Make the whiskey ganache: finely chop the chocolate, and place in a glass bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just simmering; remove from the heat and pour it over the chocolate – allow to sit for one minute. Gently whisk the mixture, starting from the center and moving outward, until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir to combine. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes (will help with the piping – you don’t want it to be too thick, though).

Filling the cupcakes: use an apple corer or a knife to carve out the centers of the cooled cupcakes (about two-thirds of the way down). Place the ganache into a large ziploc bag – remove excess air, snip off a small corner – pipe ganache into the holes of each cupcake until filled.

Make the Bailey’s frosting: using an electric mixer, whip the butter until fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, and gradually add the powdered sugar. Add the Bailey’s, increasing the speed to medium-high to achieve a light and fluffy frosting. Frost the cupcakes using your favorite decorating tip, or simply top the cupcakes using a small spatula. Decorate with cocoa powder, sprinkles, espresso beans, etc.

To read more about these cupcakes and my musical pairing, click HERE.