Chocolate Cupcakes With Irish Cream Buttercream Food

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS® CUPCAKES WITH IRISH CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 mini-muffin tins or line cups with paper liners; this recipe makes about 66 mini cupcakes.
• Melt 1 1/4 cups butter in a saucepan over low heat, add cocoa powder, and whisk until smooth. Stir in beer and vanilla extract. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and sift into in a large bowl. Mix in sugar. Add beer mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, stirring until well incorporated. Spoon batter into the prepared mini-muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 10 to 11 minutes. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool, about 20 minutes.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups butter and confectioners' sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer. Add Irish cream liqueur, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until light, fluffy, and white in color, about 10 minutes. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

CHOCOLATE STOUT CUPCAKES WITH IRISH CREAM BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place foil or paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter among muffin cups.
• Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the liqueur; beat until blended. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Spoon frosting into decorating bag fitted with #1M star tip; pipe frosting in circular pattern on tops of cupcakes.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE-IRISH CREAM CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12-cup muffin tins or line cups with paper liners.
• Stir flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cream butter and sugar together in a separate bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract. Pour in flour mixture and blend well. Beat in milk, Irish cream liqueur, and coffee until evenly blended. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE STOUT AND IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.
• Place the stout and butter in a medium-size saucepan and whisk together on medium heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat. Sift the cocoa powder into a medium-size bowl and add the sugar. Slowly whisk into the stout mixture. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and lightly whisk until smooth. Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk thoroughly (it may appear lumpy). Sift the flour and baking soda together in another small bowl and then add it to the saucepan, mixing a final time until the color is even.
• Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until the cakes spring back after touching, about 27 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in their pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
• To assemble: Pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes using a large plain tip. Dust with cocoa powder if preferred.
• Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until pale. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the Irish liqueur in a steady stream. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until a creamy consistency is achieved.