Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

It's been so long since I've posted a cupcake recipe! I can't believe it! Though I am still obsessed with cupcakes and love them with all my heart, it has been hard to find motivation to make them at home when I work with them everyday at work. But I saw these guys for St. Patty's day and have always wanted to make them...I actually wanted to make them last year but made these thin mint cupcakes instead...but these Irish car bombs...

I finally made them!

I found this recipe thanks to the Brown Eyed Baker...her blog is amazing and has so many things I want to try. She was right in her post where she claims these cupcakes are "boozy". You can definitely taste the alcohol...which is why these are fabulous!

Irish car bombs (the dangerous drinks) have a special place in my heart. Everytime I get together with my mom's side of the family, it is tradition that we have an Irish Car bomb race. I am lucky enough to have the funnest family with the coolest aunts and funnest cousins...

We don't get together too often but we try. Everytime we have one of these races, I try...I really do but there's no competition when my lovely cousin Tiffany is involved. That girl dominates these drinks...I'm not kidding. She puts the boys to shame everytime. What makes this so amazing is she is tiny...I mean super tiny...like 5 nothing tall and 100 nothing pounds tiny. And even Shawn who is 6'4" and I dunno 180 pounds(?) couldn't even compete...she killed him...

Sorry to out you like this Shawn...I'll make it up to you with an Irish car bomb cupcake. ;)

So anyways, these cupcakes are dedicated to the McKenny fam...most of all my cousin Tiffany whom I miss dearly!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
From Browneyedbaker.com

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Whiskey Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

Baileys Frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
Directions:

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

Whiskey Ganache Filling: Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Fill the Cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down. Transfer the ganache to a piping back with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Baileys Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.

Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.