My Culinary Adventures: Irish Carbomb Cupcakes

Peace Corps pulled us out of Honduras, for my group, about 9 months earlier than we had planned: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/18/honduras-peace-corp-withdrawal_n_1212544.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false  

I'll keep this blog as a food journal from now on :)

A couple friends are throwing a Super Bowl party today, and while I'm not a fan of football, I am a fan of parties and meeting new people.  One of the requests is to bring something to eat, and I saw this as an opportunity to finally make something!  I haven't cooked or baked since being in my house in Honduras, so I decided to try something new for me - in the form of Irish Carbomb Cupcakes.  I guess I should have waited until St. Patrick's Day, but I have other plans for that weekend and this recipe looked too delicious to pass up.  This was my first time attempting to make my own cupcake frosting and filling, and they turned out pretty good!  I will warn though, there are 3 types of alcohol in this recipe, so kiddos - go light ;)

Irish Carbomb Cupcakes

Recipe from See Brooke Cook

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

1 cup Guinness (or other stout beer)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

Ganache Filling:

8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate

2/3 cup half and half or heavy cream

2 Tbsp butter, room temperature

2 tsp Irish whiskey (optional)

Baileys Icing:

3 to 4 cups confections sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

6-8 Tbsp Baileys, I would suggest use 6  first, and then add more to taste.

Directions:Cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 350°, line cupcake pans and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat bring the beer and butter to a simmer. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream until combined. Slowly add the stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat slowly until just combined. Divide the batter in the prepared cupcake pan, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. In the preheated oven bake the cupcakes for about 17 minutes (or until tester inserted into center comes out clean). Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile, make the ganache.

Ganache:

Put chocolate in medium heat safe bowl and set aside. Over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, heat the cream/half-and-half until simmering then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If the chocolate has not completely melted you can place in the microwave for 20 seconds, but watch carefully so you don’t burn it). Add the butter and whiskey (if using) and stir until combined.

Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to work with (you can refrigerate the mixture to speed up, but you will need to stir it every 10 minutes or so). Meanwhile cut the centers out of the completely cooled cupcakes, about 2/3 of the way deep. When all cupcakes are ready, fill them with the ganache. You can do so with a spoon and your finger, or by using a piping bag with a wide tip.

Icing:

To prepare the icing, beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). While on medium speed add the powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, slowly add the Baileys beat until combined. If the icing has thinned too much add a couple more tablespoons of powdered sugar. Frost ganache filled cupcakes and enjoy!