Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Whiskey and Baileys

The only way a good stout beer, whiskey, and Irish cream liquor could be better is if they were mixed together - a la an Irish Car Bomb. Better still though, would be mixing it all up with some chocolate in the form of rich Guinness chocolate cupcakes, filled with Jameson chocolate ganache, and topped with Bailys buttercream frosting.

Variations on this recipe can be found on loads of amazing food blogs like Smitten Kitchen, the Busty Baker, and others!

Note: These do contain some booze that isn't cooked off, so please be careful (no heavy machinery, etc.) and keep them away from the youngsters.

Also Note: "Irish Car Bomb" is a pretty horrible thing to call a drink or a cupcake. You could also call them "Car Bombs" but that's not much better really - Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Whiskey Ganache filling and Irish Cream Frosting works, but it's a bit long.

Step 1: You'll Need. . .

Hardware:

• Bowls (you'll need at least 3, or you can wash one between each portion of preparation)
• Spatula
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Piping bag (you can also use plastic bags for this - you'll need 2)
• Muffin tin
• Cupcake papers
• A melon baller or small spoon

Software:

For the Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup Guinness (or other stout)
• 1/2 cup butter (melted)
• 3/8 cup (aka 1/4 and 1/8 cups) cocoa powder
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3/8 cup (aka 1/4 and 1/8 cups) cup sour cream

For the Gnache

• 3 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon Jameson whiskey (or other whiskey)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting

• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons Baileys (or other Irish cream liquor)

Step 2: Making Cupcakes!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)
2. Melt the butter (on the stovetop or in the microwave)
3. Add Guinness and cocoa powder and stir to combine well
4. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda
5. Stir in egg and sour cream
6. Add chocolate mixture and stir well
7. Place cupcake papers in the muffin tin
8. Spoon the mixture into the tin to fill about 3/4 full (you'll have enough for 12 cupcakes)
9. Bake for 17 minutes
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool fully

Step 3: Making Gnache!

1. Gently heat cream on the stovetop or in the microwave
2. Add chocolate and let sit for a few moments
3. Stir gently until chocolate is melted and combined with the cream
4. Mix in butter, vanilla, and Jameson
5. Allow to cool until thick (semi-solid)
6. Spoon into a pastry bag or plastic bag

Step 4: Making Icing!

1. Pour all ingredients into a bowl
2. Using a spatula (or electric mixer, if you're into that kind of thing) mix until very well combined
3. Spoon into a pastry bag or plastic bag and chill until ready to use

Step 5: Some Assembly Required

1. After the cupcakes have cooled, use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out the centers
2. Pipe in ganache to fill (but try not to have them overflowing
3. Pipe icing onto the top - it's very sweet so you will probably not want a ton on each one
4. Snarf down one or two, but try to share and avoid a cupcake hangover!

Comments

[PaganRaven]

This is a great recipe! My daughter has made these for St. Patty's tomorrow and they're definitely yummy! Sooo good! =drools=

[shesparticular]

:)

[garnishrecipes]

Ooh. There is a stand at my local farmer's market here in the bay that sells Guiness cupcakes. My husband will be so happy when he hears we can try these at home. Will let you know how they go :) Thank you for posting this recipe!

[shesparticular]

Hope you enjoy them!

[Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy]

I made these the other day and they were delicious. Thanks for the instructable.

[mishoo]

Did I miss where you credited Smitten Kitchen? Your cake recipe is identical to hers, your ganache is nearly so, and your frosting only has a bit more butter; all other proportions and ingredients are the same. I often adapt recipes, but if I follow them this closely, I give credit. Sincere apologies if you did and i missed it. :)

[shesparticular]

A friend of mine actually shared this recipe with me, and I have since made some changes and seen it in loads of places online (among them the ever-awesome Smitten Kitchen).

[mishoo]

I've seen many different VERSIONS of "carbomb cupcakes" all over the internet, many of them significantly different from each other. The versions that closely follow other recipes, like yours does, credit the originals. Not trying to be a jerk at all - I like your photos and instructions, and I'm not saying you knowingly took credit for a recipe that isn't yours. But now you know that at LEAST the cake recipe you claim isn't yours, and it's only fair to give proper credit.

Anywho.. not gonna hound you or anything.. just a thought. I'm totally in the mood for these now, dangit. :)

[moochaka]

I made these a couple months ago for my parents while modifying the recipe a bit. I used Guinness 250th anniversary instead of regular Guinness (it is a bit stronger), didn't do the Gnache, and used Kahlua for the frosting. It would have been better with the Gnache I think but they were really good!

Thanks for the 'ible!

[shesparticular]

Your variation sounds awesome as well!

[kfarrell1]

When I went to England they called the drinks 'Irish Muff Divers'. Offensive in a completely different way, and I kinda like it :)

[namesrtaken]

About how many would this make, a dozen?  :) They look exquisite!

[shesparticular]

The recipe will make a dozen large cupcakes, or a whole lot more mini ones (at least 24, last time I made small ones I ended up with 32 of them). I personally prefer the smaller ones since the flavors can all be enjoyed together that way.

[DesignerUserName]

A dozen large or 2 dozen-ish mini. To say nothing about the regular sized tin. It's my preferred size, or is that what is meant by "large"? OR! Is size just relative? :P

[shesparticular]

I use "large" to describe what is actually a "regular"-sized cupcake - sorry about the confusion!

[DesignerUserName]

Thanks darlin. Just checkin :) I use "Jumbo" muffin tins to make breakfast muffins on the regular.

[namesrtaken]

Thank you so much, dear. :) I'm very much looking forward to these!

[spoody]

The real winner in this recipe, is the Frosting. Oh and if your careful, in the gnache and frosting you can double the booze! just a little less cream and butter. whooo hoooo! Happy St. Pats

[moochaka]

I made these minus the gnache and substituting Frangelico for Bailey's. I must say they turned out delicious. The cupcakes by themselves are delicious, too!

[shesparticular]

Sounds great also! So glad you enjoyed them!

[lostmetoo]

for anyone worried about the name just think chocolate yummies

[komecake]

  This... will be made in future. O__O

[namesrtaken]

Final Verdict: They're far more scrumptious than they looked! <3 Yum. Thank you!

[damekiri]

Well I am pretty excited about making these for my boyfriend's colleagues (some of whom are Irish, and not offended).  I just wonder how many of the offended people on here are actually Irish, and by that I mean from Ireland, not "my great great grandfather was from Ireland".  If you've never been and can't find it on a map, you're not Irish...  I grew up in an English military town in the 1980s, with a very real and continued threat of car bombs from the IRA throughout my childhood and teenage years and I'm NOT offended by the name.  It's a name!  Who cares?!  If people spent less time finding things to be offended by and spent more time trying to make the world better, everyone'd be a winner.  The recipe looks awesome!  Shame people can't focus on what's important eh ;)

[damekiri]

Just to add; they are all made and have been tested and are bloody gorgeous!

[shesparticular]

So glad to hear it! Please feel free to post pictures of them as well!

[jwystup]

These turned out really good! Not very strong though,  I expected more of a car bomb flavor. Maybe next time I would add more jameson & bailey's (I'm afraid to alter the cooked part haha). I would most definitely try using the frosting on something else too, I <3 baileys mmmm

[shesparticular]

So glad to hear they turned out well! I've found that when they're not kept cold the flavor is stronger.

[Mr. Brownie]

If your worried about alcohol content, couldn't you boil off the alcohol first, and then mix it in? Or would that ruin it? I have only cooked with white wine and sake, so I wouldn't know.

[shesparticular]

You could give it a shot, but I'm not sure how that would change the taste. Also, because of the Bailey's involved in the frosting, and the Jameson in the filling, (neither of which are cooked), I'm not sure how that alcohol could be avoided.

As is (though they do taste rather strong) per cupcake the alcohol content is probably about 1-2 teaspoons, if that. I still would advise against letting kids have at them though.

[inchman]

First off, from anyone that could come up with this dessert, I have only one question…

“Will you marry me?”  8>)

Seriously, thank you for what promises to be the best dessert idea, since, well, ever! Now I just have to find someone willing to bake them for me and send them to me here in Afghanistan!  (BTW, this is the greatest way to get all three of the best drinks to any Soldier you may know over here.)

Thanks again for a great ‘ible!

(Oh, if anyone baked a few extra, send them my way…)
Eric Petrevich
C/O ARD/ADP/NW
APO AE 09356
 

[shesparticular]

Thanks! I hope you'll be stateside soon to make a few!

[mcshawnboy]

 I know Instructables authors have an anal complusion for "Scientific" measurement, but the juxstaposition w/o a converter is difficult for those of us lesser mortals.  Here's a link to one such converter: http://www.thatsmyhome.com/recipes/converter.htm

[shesparticular]

Thanks! This would help a lot if you wanted to make these for 150 of your closest friends :)

[mcshawnboy]

   I didn't try to be mean, but my measuring cup didn't have these increments on it & only 3/8=.375 was defined.  Maybe as a trucker I shouldn't have tried to grapple to wonderful ingredient list.  We have to keep logbooks to comply with the DOT law where your day's divied into 1/4 hours,these divisions are easy, but w/o a measuring spoon with standard numbers I was confused how much to add.

[shesparticular]

I totally understand - I guess I should have put 1/4 and 1/8, sorry about that. I hope you were able to make it through them, but if not, doubling the recipe would also work for standard measuring cups (then it'd be 3/4 cup).

[bjmooren]

 In the ingredients list you call for baking soda, but later you call for baking powder in the instructions.  I made these last night using baking powder and they were tasty, but a little dense.  Should I use soda or powder?  Great recipe idea!  Thank you for posting it.

[shesparticular]

Thanks so much for your comment! That should say baking soda, not powders - sorry about that and thank you for pointing it out.

[Listrom]

This is the best cupcake recipe i have ever seen. i never been so excited to bake.

[shesparticular]

Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy them! They'd probably also be amazing with this shot.