Chocolate Beer Cupcakes with Whiskey Filling and Irish Cream Icing

Ingredients

Contains: egg, milk, wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 1 cup Irish stout beer (such as Guinness®)
• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon Irish whiskey, or more to taste
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, or more as needed
• 3 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (such as Baileys®), or more to taste

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the 1 cup butter with the beer, then remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Let cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, white sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sour cream together.

4. Pour the cooled beer mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined, then mix in the egg and sour cream mixture until smooth. Do not overmix.

5. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. For the filling, heat the heavy cream until just simmering. Pour it over about half of the chopped bittersweet chocolate, let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in the 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon Irish whiskey, adding more to taste. Chill 20 to 30 minutes until thick enough to pipe.

7. Using a small knife, cut a shallow cone-shaped hole in the top of each cooled cupcake. Spoon or pipe the filling into each hole and set the cut tops back in place.

8. For the icing, beat the softened 1/2 cup butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, then the Irish cream liqueur, adding more sugar or liqueur as needed for a spreadable texture.

9. Spread or pipe the icing over the cooled cupcakes. Melt the remaining chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stir until smooth, and drizzle over the icing.

10. Let the drizzle set at room temperature before serving, or chill briefly if the kitchen is warm.