Irish Carbomb Mini Bundt Cakes

This afternoon I received a short text message from my husband: "Irish. Carbomb. Cupcakes."

Sadly, I am just that predictable.  All he had to write were those three little words and I picked up the ingredients for these treats on my way home from work.  I have to admit that I have never tasted them; the two times I've made them, they disappeared before I could really indulge.  I didn't make that mistake tonight.  And, yes, now I get it.  It was very tough to stick to my one-bite taste.  Wow.

In spite of their gruesome name, these are a St. Patty's Day tradition for us.  I mean, how can you go wrong with a Guinness chocolate cake filled with a Bailey's-marscarpone filling, topped with a whiskey buttercream?!?  You can't.

Guinness Chocolate Cake

1 cup stout (Guinness), 2 sticks butter, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups all-purpose white whole wheat flour, 2 cups organic cane sugar, 1½ tsp. baking soda, ¾ tsp. sea salt, 2 large eggs, 2/3 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with foil liners. Combine the Guinness and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk till smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend. Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners or mini bundt cake hollows, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Bailey's Marscarpone Filling
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, 2/3 C heavy cream, 2 T butter, 2 t Bailey's, 4 oz marscarpone cream. Bring the cream to a simmer, remove from heat, add the chocolate, butter, and Bailey's. Let sit for 3 minutes. Whisk till the chocolate is completely melted. Then whisk in the marscarpone. Cool. Once the cakes are cooled, cut a cone shape piece from the center, fill with ganache, and replace cake plug.


Whiskey Buttercream

2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

5 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons whiskey (I didn't have Jameson in the cabinet, so Jack Daniels had to suffice)

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 powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. Add the whiskey, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.