Irish Carbomb Cupcakes

Despite their morbid name, really, how can you go wrong with a Guinness-chocolate cupcake filled with a Bailey's ganache and frosted with a Jameson buttercream?!? You can't. This might become a St. Patty's Day tradition.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 cup Irish 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

Bailey's Mascarpone Filling

• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 2/3 C heavy cream
• 2 T butter
• 2 t Bailey's
• 4 oz mascarpone cream. 

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)

To Finish

• unsweetened cocoa powder for garnish

Procedure

Cupcakes

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, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bailey's Mascarpone Filling
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 mascarpone. Cool.

Whiskey Buttercream
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.

To Finish
Once the cakes are cooled, cut a cone shape piece from the center, fill with mascarpone filling, and replace cake plug. Frost with a whiskey buttercream frosting. Sprinkle with unsweetened cocoa powder. And enjoy with a cordial of Bailey's or a pint of Guinness! Sláinte!