Chocolate, Guinness and Baileys Cupcakes

It's been a while since the last post. No excuses really other than to say that it keeps dropping off my list of things to do. So with the Christmas break coming up I plan on being a bit more organised and I will be doing plenty of baking.

After many requests I am finally posting the recipe for Chocolate, Guinness and Baileys cupcakes, aka Irish Car Bomb cupcakes.

I have made these quite a few times now and are fast becoming one of the most requested of my recipes. I don’t think I have made a batch that lasts longer than 2 or 3 days. I also have to admit that these are my favourite cupcakes both to eat and to make; the Guinness gives the cake a bitterness to cut through the sweetness of the ganache and icing. Another reason why I love this recipe is because I use it as an excuse to drink while baking, and having a glass of Baileys while they are baking, it’s a perfect way to pass the time. For anyone curious enough to taste the Guinness and cocoa mix before adding the sugar WARNING it tastes awful, I would wait until its all assembled and drink the baileys instead!

I can’t take all the credit for this recipe; I first came across this recipe on Annie's eats. Since first trying out this recipe I have made a few subtle changes, but in essence it’s the same recipe as it appears on her blog. 

Chocolate, Guinness and Baileys Cupcakes: Makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 cup Guinness

240 g butter

¾ cup cocoa

2 cup flour

2 cup white sugar

1 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup sour cream or yoghurt

Ganache

225 g dark chocolate

2/3 cup cream

2 Tbsp butter (soft)

1-2 Tbsp Baileys (2 tsp for weaker baileys taste)

Icing

120 g butter (soft)

3 cup icing sugar

4 – 8 Tbsp Baileys

For the cupcakes

Place the Guinness and butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat until the butter has melted.

Remove from the heat and whisk in cocoa until smooth. Leave to cool to room temperature.

Beat eggs and sour cream/yoghurt until smooth.

Whisk into cooled chocolate mixture slowly.

In a separate bowl mix remaining dry ingredients together and add in the chocolate mixture.

Mix with an electric mixer until just combined.

Line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners and fill 2/3 of the way up

Bake for 17-20 min at 180^OC. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

For the Ganache

Heat cream until just simmering and gradually pour over the chocolate. Mix until smooth. If chocolate is not completely melted, heat in microwave for 10 sec at a time and mix well. Add the butter and the baileys and mix until smooth. Place in the fridge to set for 1 – 1 ½ hr.

Take the cooled cupcakes and cut out the centre, keep the tops aside. Place 1 -1 ½ tsp of ganache in the cupcake and replace the tops.

For the icing

Beat the butter and baileys until creamy. Slowly mix in the icing sugar until the right consistency is achieved. Add more baileys to taste.

Pipe the icing on top of the ganache filled cupcakes.