I like to fiddle when I cook. I find a recipe that sounds good, and then as I throw it together, I fiddle. I throw some of this and that in there, maybe add an extra veggie or two, see what happens when I add an extra slab of butter, that sort of thing. After a few years of practice, I've gotten pretty good with the fiddling. Most of what I do turns out pretty darn good, or at the very least edible. It makes it hard to relay recipes though, because even if I give you a link, or the page from my cookbook, it may not turn out the same because I usually do some tiny thing different every time I make it.
There are some recipes, though, that are sacred. They are so good on their own that I don't dare do a thing to it for fear of taking away from it. That would be these cupcakes. I am not generally a "sweet" person. I would rather sit down with a bag of chips than a bowl of ice cream any day (which is why, coincidentally, I am on Weight Watchers). But these cupcakes... oooooh these cupcakes. They are divine. In such a naughty, alcoholic kind of way.
This recipe is pretty labor intensive. I've made them three times now, and it's taken me just as long to do it the third go around as it did the first time. They are worth the effort though. From the Guinness chocolate base, to the Bailey's infused ganache (which I have recently been told is Ga-Naaaaaassshhhhh), topped with a melt-in-your mouth Bailey's buttercream frosting. Make these. Drop the book your reading, ignore your children, tell your husband you have a headache. Whatever you have to do.
Here is the recipe, pretty much word for word from a site called Annie's Eats. If and when you have time, browse that site, pull some recipes. Every single thing I have made from her site has been tremendous.
Guinness and Bailey’s Irish Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Guinness chocolate cupcakes:
1 cup stout (Guinness)
16 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
For the Bailey’s ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. Bailey’s Irish cream
For the Bailey’s buttercream frosting:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4-8 tbsp. Bailey’s Irish cream
Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F (175 degrees C). Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until 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. (Obviously, this can be mixed by hand as well. Just be sure not to overmix-- a standard rule when making cake batter.) 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. (If using an oven in the UK, keep an eye on them. I found mine were done at about the 15 minute mark.) Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, place the bowl over a double boiler or give it a very short burst in the microwave (15-20 seconds). Add the butter and Bailey’s and stir until combined.
Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped. (You can use the refrigerator to speed the cooling process, but be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooling.) Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake using the cone method (a small paring knife works best for this). (The cone method involves cutting into the top of the cupcake, making a small circle with a cone shape going into the center. Remove the cone, reserving the very top of it. You'll place these back on the cupcakes after putting the ganache in the middle.) Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes. (Or just use a big ziploc bag, cutting a very small corner off.)
To make the frosting, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated. Mix in the Bailey’s until smooth. Add more if necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading. Frost the cupcakes as desired.
Source: Annie's Eats
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