Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

Libations used - 1 bottle Guinness

Libations left over - None, but if you have to, crack open a bottle

Here's the second Lush Chef cupcake recipe that I promised, and just in time for St. Patrick's Day tomorrow.  I stumbled upon this cake recipe from Nigella Lawson - I'll have to make this again as just a regular cake and use the cream cheese frosting she recommended.  I was craving something more chocolatey though and opted for a Guinness chocolate buttercream frosting.  To add a bit of whimsy, I also filled the middle with a vanilla bean & cinnamon whipped cream.  It's like an adult Hostess Cupcake!

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes - serves 24

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake -

• 1 cup Guinness
• 10 Tbs (1 stick + 2 Tbs) unsalted butter
• 3/8 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/8 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Vanilla Bean & Cinnamon Whipped Cream - 

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 Tbs sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or the Lush Chef way - I did a few shakes to taste)

Frosting - 

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (do not melt)
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3-4 Tbs Guinness

To make the cake:

- Preheat oven to 350

- In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter.  Place over med-low heat until butter melts, them remove from heat.

- Add cocoa and sugar, and whisk to blend

- In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add to Guinness mixture and whisk.

- Add flour and baking soda and whisk until smooth.  

- Fill muffin cups a little more than halfway with batter, and bake for 25+ minutes.  Cool completely.

To make the whip cream:

- Beat all ingredients together with mixer until stiff peaks form.

To make the frosting:

- Beat butter for a few minutes with mixer on medium speed.

- Add the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder, and turn mixer on lowest speed until sugar has been incorporated with the butter.

- Increase mixing speed and add 3-4 Tbs Guinness.

- You can add more sugar to thicken the consistency or more Guinness to thin it.