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Irish Chocolate Cupcakes

🍀🍫💚 A tender chocolate cupcake made from scratch with batter that's spiked with Guinness, along with a hint of Jameson Irish whiskey in the chocolate ganache filling, and frosted with a silky smooth Baileys buttercream frosting!!

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Cooling Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 471 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: Irish

Ingredients

Cupcakes
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • ½ cup Guinness Stout
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ganache
  • *4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped (such as Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Pound Plus, 72% or your favorite)
  • ½ cup heavy cream*
  • ½ tablespoon Jameson Irish Whiskey or similar
  • ½ tablespoon salted butter or unsalted butter with 1/8 teaspoon actual salt
Frosting
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 ounces Baileys Irish cream
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Sprinkles optional for decorating

Instructions

Cupcakes:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcake liners; set aside.
  2. To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and whisk to combine; set aside.
  3. To a separate, medium bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until pale, and then beat in the oil, Guinness, and vanilla until fully combined.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined; don't overmix or your cupcakes will be tougher.
  5. Add a scant 1/4-cup of batter to each of the cupcake liners and bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter.
  6. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Ganache:
  1. While the cupcakes are baking, make the ganache by adding the chopped chocolate to a medium bowl and heat heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl just until it begins to bubble around the edges of the pot or bowl.
  2. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and let it set for 5 minutes. Do not stir. Leave it be!
  3. After 5 minutes, whisk the cream and chocolate until a rich chocolate ganache forms.
  4. Then stir in the Jameson.
  5. Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before coring the cupcakes and filling with ganache. I used and recommend this cupcake corer but you can also carefully use a paring knife to core about about 1 to 2 tablespoons worth of the cupcake, making sure not to go too deep.
Frosting:
  1. To a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together (a verb meaning beat together not actual cream) the butter and 1 cup of confectioners' sugar.
  2. Add in the remaining 1 cup along confectioners' sugar, the Baileys, salt, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
  3. Pipe* the frosting onto the filled cupcakes and optionally top with sprinkles before serving. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Optionally, cupcakes can be baked up to 1 day in advance, and then filled and frosted.

Notes

  • *Do not use another kind of cream other than heavy cream or the ganache will not set up properly, i.e. do not use half-and-half nor regular cream. Use heavy cream or what is sometimes called (double) whipping cream.
  • *I used Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Pound Plus Bar. The 72% also would be fine. I caution against using chocolate chips because they do not melt as easily and you could run into problems.
  • *I used this Ateco Extra Large Closed Star Piping Tip but you can use another piping tip of your choice.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 471kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 50g (17%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 27g (42%) Saturated Fat 11g (55%) Polyunsaturated Fat 14g Cholesterol 64mg (21%) Sodium 184mg (8%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 37g (74%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 471

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 471kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 50g 17%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 27g 42%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Polyunsaturated Fat 14g 82%
Cholesterol 64mg 21%
Sodium 184mg 8%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 37g 74%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.