I am in a love/love relationship with cake and cupcakes. I find it very difficult, almost painful to say no. After dinner, I don’t smoke, I cupcake. Sometimes it’s a quick little nibbler, (a toke), or sometimes it’s a large delicious monster of a cupcake, (I suppose its my equivalent to having a cigar). In any case, I savor every second of my indulgement. It goes without saying that some of my favorite treats are enhanced with a love potion called Craft Beer. There it goes again, craft beer, making the world and its taste buds a better place.
Here’s one recipe that will have your beau looking for that mistletoe!
Chocolate Stout and Irish Cream Liqueur Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups stout (beer)
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Directions
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. 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 at 350 degrees about 27 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in their pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Irish Liqueur Frosting:
- 1 pound unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
Cream the butter in the bowl until pale. Add the Irish liqueur in a steady stream. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until a creamy consistency is achieved.
If your looking for some great holiday drinks to pair up with your cupcakes or your holiday dinners, check out Holiday Beer Picks by the Beer Chicks! Any one of their suggestions will ensure some brow raising results at the dinner table, I guarantee it! So come on ladies, join that masses of lasses jump starting their taste buds and let’s get crafty!
Do you have a holiday treat you’d like to share? Tell us about it, we’d love to try it!
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