Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Happy March, everyone!

I love St. Patrick's Day. I love four leaf clovers. And dark beer. And Bailey's. And green. And corned beef. And potatoes. And drinking. And eating. A lot.

I just love it.

So I've decided that this month will be completely dedicated to St. Patrick's Day. All of the recipes that I post during March will be St. Patty's Day themed.

GET. EXCITED. Because I'm already there.

I didn't actually make this first recipe. My friend had the idea to make them so I found her the recipe, she made them, and we ate them. But she gave me permission to blog about it.

I love that these sort of taste AND look like an Irish car bomb shot. It doesn't have any whiskey in it but that's fine by me because whiskey is the one alcoholic beverage that I just cannot stomach. The cake has a really dark and rich flavor from the Guinness. The frosting has a strong Bailey's flavor and a lot of sweetness to counteract the slight bitterness of the cake.

And here's a funny Irish car bomb story: On my 21st birthday, I went out with my whole family. I had always wanted to try an Irish car bomb but the bar I worked at didn't have Jameson so I couldn't. So after about 4 hours of drinking a deadly combination of liquor, I decided to order one. I dropped the Bailey's/Jameson shot into the Guinness. It curdled immediately and, as I took the first sip, I decided that my stomach couldn't handle it. My mother sauntered over and casually goes "Oh, stop. These are delicious." She proceeded to chug the 16 ounce glass in about two seconds.

I was put to shame by my mother on my 21st birthday. I guess there's no question as to where I got my love for adult beverages.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes (inspired by Sweet Pea's Kitchen)

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup Guinness
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

For the Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine Guinness and butter. Add the cocoa and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. In a large mixing bow, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream until combined.
5. Add Guinness mixture and beat to combine. Mix in dry ingredients on low speed until incorporated.
6. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
7. For the frosting: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Add the Bailey's one tablespoon at a time. Beat until smooth and creamy. 
8. When the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe on the frosting. 

perfect portions