Car Bomb Cupcakes

My friends and I having been planning a St Patrick's Day shindig for about a week now and I'm in charge of sweets...I wanted to make something creative, not just a cupcake with green frosting. And what says St Patrick’s Day more than Guinness Stout, Jameson Whiskey and Baileys? The plan, put them all together in a cupcake, creating this yummy treat! These chocolatey Guinness cupcakes filled with Baileys buttercream with Jameson spiked ganache are the bomb (yes, I'm totally from the 90's).

CAR BOMB CUPCAKES
The cupcakes:
-1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
-1 cup unsalted butter/margarine 
 -3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-2 cups all-purpose flour 
-2 cups sugar 
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
-3/4 teaspoon salt 
-2 large eggs 
-2/3 cup sour cream
 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard cupcake pans with liners. Set aside.

Bring beer and butter to a simmer in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. In mixing bowl add the eggs and sour cream and beat until combined. Add the chocolate mixture to sour cream mixture and beat just to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat briefly on low speed. Using a spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake for about 17 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Let cool completely.

The Baileys buttercream:
-2 cups powdered sugar 
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
-3 to 4 Tablespoons Baileys
In mixing bowl add butter and beat on medium speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.
When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys and whip until combined. If the frosting becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar.

The chocolate-whiskey glaze:
-2/3 cup heavy cream 
-4 ounces bittersweet choclate, finely chopped (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and it worked just fine) 
-1 Tablespoon corn syrup 
-2 teaspoons Irish Wiskey (like Jameson)
Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture, and stir until smooth. Add whiskey and stir until completely incorporated. Use immediately.

The assembling of the cupcakes:

Using a cupcake corer or the small end of a large pastry tip, insert into the center of the cupcake and remove a small chuck of the cake to create a well.

Fill the well with the Bailey's buttercream. Use a spatula or knife to smooth the buttercream at the cupcake's surface.

Dip the tops of each cupcake in the chocolate glaze, letting excess drip off. Let stand until set, about 30 minutes.

Bottoms up!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy this special treat!