Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Z. Hampel

Perfect in time for St. Patrick's Day! These are a take on the classic Irish Car Bomb cocktail, combining a Guinness chocolate cupcake with a whiskey ganache center and irish cream frosting. They're delicious, but they're rich enough that I generally can't handle more than one!

Guinness-Chocolate Cupcakes
- 2 c flour
- 2 c sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 c unsalted butter
- 1 c Guinness
- 3/4 c cocoa
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 c sour cream

Whiskey-Chocolate Ganache
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 1/4 c heavy cream
- 3/4 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp Irish whiskey

Irish Cream Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 4 oz butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 c confectioner's sugar
- 6 Tbsp Bailey's irish cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Divide the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces. Place in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to melt, add the Guinness. Bring the combination to a simmer, making sure they combine well. Add the cocoa powder and mix until combined. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

4. In a large bowl, combine the eggs and sour cream. Mix until well combined - I had to use an electric mixer. Add the chocolate mixture and combine. Add the flour mixture and combine.

5. Divide evenly among 24 cupcake tins. Bake until a toothpick can be removed cleanly, around 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

6. Make the ganache by chopping the chocolate up into roughly 1/2'' cubes. In a bowl, microwave the cream until it simmers. Add the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute, then mix until combined. Add the butter and whiskey. Mix until combined.

7. Using the end of a frosting decorating tip or a knife, cut a hole in the cupcakes from the top. You should get a hole about 3/4'' across that goes about 2/3 of the way to the bottom of the cupcake. Remove this part of the cupcake, and fill it with the ganache. The ganache should be fairly liquid and easy to work with at this point - it will harden as it cools.

8. To make the frosting, simply combine the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until they are well combined. Add the Bailey's. Mix until well combined. I like to add some festive green food coloring to mine!

9. Since frosting the cupcakes with a knife would spread the ganache into the frosting (and not look as pretty), I recommend using a frosting bag and decorating tip! But really, there's not wrong way to frost a cupcake... Serve with milk and/or the Irish cocktail of your choice! Enjoy!

Z. Hampel