Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting

It's Engineers' Week! Did you know? I didn't know either until my husband's work put a sign in their break room.  So I whipped up a little something for him to take in and share, as he is an engineer and that was the gist of the sign.

Not knowing a TON of engineers, I'm going to explain a little bit of my reasoning for choosing this delicious treat.  The first reason I decided to make it was simply that I wanted to. I found it on Pinterest a long time ago (one of the first things I ever pinned) and finally had a chance to try my hand at it.

Another reason I wanted to make this was that I got a fantastic new Wilton decorating kit from my mother-in-law for my birthday, so I wanted to make something I could decorate.

And finally, and most importantly, the little I know about engineering culture (is that a thing? I think it's a thing), is that they like St. Patrick a lot and credit him as being an engineer and therefore the patron saint of engineering.  When my husband was still in school, the college of engineering always celebrated the whole week of St. Patrick's day in honor of the Irish engineer.   And this recipe was delightfully Irish.

I present, with some help from Global Table Adventure, Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting.  Sasha's original recipe is for a layer cake, but since I was planning on my husband taking this to work to share, I made it as cupcakes instead.  I also tweaked the recipe for the frosting a little, but her original recipe is marvelous.  Check her out!

This recipe is not only delicious, but fun as well.  The batter was absolutely beautiful as it mixed up, and the frosting looks like something from a dream.  A delicious, creamy, slightly boozy dream. Yum!

It starts with Guinness, flour, sugar, baking soda, butter, vanilla, eggs, and cocoa.  How can that be anything but wonderful?!

In a microwave safe container (I used my favorite Pyrex measuring cup), melt the butter and then  whisk in your Guinness, vanilla extract and cocoa.  Drink the rest of the Guinness or use it to bribe your husband into taking the dog out for you in the middle of the night.  Good trade.  (Alternatively, you can melt the butter in a saucepan and then remove it from heat and continue as directed.)

While the Guinness mixture is cooling, get your cupcake pans ready.  This makes right at 24 cupcakes, so prepare your cups to your preference (foil, paper, silicone, whatever). Then, whisk together the sugar, flour, and baking soda.

Pour the Guinness mixture onto the dry ingredients, then whisk in the eggs.  As you can see, I did all of this in the bowl of my stand mixer, and it was awesome.  

So fluffy and gorgeous, almost like a mousse.  

When well mixed, dish it into your cupcake pan. I used a little scoop/disher and found that one heaping scoop was almost the exact right amount. The cups should be about half full (or half empty, if that's how your day is going. Don't worry, they'll grow as they bake and soon be all full).

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until they pass the toothpick test. A word of warning: Don't try the toothpick test until you're fairly confident you may pass. Otherwise, your cupcakes will fall and so will your spirits.

Let them cool completely before you frost them, or your frosting will melt and be gross.   If your self-control is great, make the the buttercream whenever.  My self-control is not that great, so I didn't trust myself not to eat it all before the cupcakes were cool.  

To make the frosting, whip together the softened butter, shortening and sugar in a standing mixer, then adding in the Bailey's.  If your icing is too stiff, add in a little more Bailey's. 

After you've frosted the cupcakes, you can add a little green to increase the festivity by way of sprinkles or colored sugar.  (I foolishly forgot to get a picture of this before I sent them off to work with my husband, but trust me, they were pretty.)


Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting
Cupcakes:

1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup Guinness
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs

Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
1/8 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream (adjust more or less to your taste)

Green Sprinkles for garnish (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Place liners into your cupcake/muffin pan.   Melt your butter (either in a sauce pan or in the microwave). Remove from heat and whisk the Guinness, vanilla extract and cocoa into the butter.  Set aside. 

Whisk together the sugar, flour, and baking soda. Pour the Guinness mixture onto the dry ingredients, then whisk in the eggs until smooth. 

Portion into cupcake pan, filling each cup about halfway.   Bake for 25-30 minutes.

To make frosting, whisk together butter, shortening powdered sugar and Bailey's Irish Cream until fluffy.   When cupcakes are completely cool, frost them.  Garnish with colored sugar or sprinkles as desired.