Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

It's going to sound repetitive. But these were made for a friend's birthday. Ha. What can I say, a baker loves to bake, and it's just what I do especially for those whom I hold dear to me. I could say that, if I offer you a homemade goodie, you're probably someone special? ;)

 Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

 Baked; Cored and filled

These were for a special girlfriend of mine, one whom I've known for almost two decades (oh mah gawd. I should totally not say that cos that just makes me sound so old. cringe.). She's a party girl (okay, mellowing now with age, but still.), so anything boozy is right up her alley. About a month before her birthday last year, she randomly whatsapp me a web link of irish car bomb cupcakes and asked if I could make that, the answer was obviously a yes, so I said I'll make her some for her birthday. Fast forward to her birthday meet-up a month later, I had these ready in a box for her. Ha! 

Let's partaaaaaaaaay~

These cupcakes certainly packed an alcoholic punch, so keep them away from small children *hic*. The cupcakes itself were really moist and as not too sweet as it had some of the stout's bitter notes. The frosting was a little on the sweet side though. I didn't use the full amount of icing sugar as recommended, I can't remember how much I reduced, but I recommend you start with the amount I listed below and you can just add more along the way (if needed).

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes (adapted from Michelle at Brown Eyed Baker)
(makes 24 medium-small cupcakes and one 6.5" x 3" loaf)

Chocolate stout cupcakes
1 cup Guinness stout
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
85g cocoa powder
220g all-purpose flour
400g granulated sugar
1½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup vanilla yogurt

Preheat oven to 175C.
Combine Guinness and butter and to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and sift the mixture.
Beat the eggs and yogurt with electric mixer on medium speed until combined.
Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat together.
Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until batter is homogeneous.
Divide the batter into the cupcake liners. (I used med-small liners, filled about 24 of them, then poured the rest of the batter into a small loaf tin)
Bake the cupcakes until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10-15 minutes, or till skewer inserted in middle comes out clean (the loaf took longer).
Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

Whisky ganache
110g bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
14g butter, at room temperature
2 tsp Irish whiskey

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl.
Heat the cream until it barely comes to a simmer and pour it over the chocolate.
Let it sit for a minute, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth.
Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Bailey's Irish cream frosting
110g unsalted butter, at room temperature
200g icing sugar
6 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream

Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the icing sugar until all of it is incorporated.
Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.