Guiness Cupcakes

A bajillion years ago I made the mini form of these for Dave’s 30th Beer Tasting Birthday. 

Guiness Cupcakes

• 12 oz. Guiness
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 TB of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• dash cinnamon
• pinch of salt {I used vanilla salt, but any would do.}
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder {use a good quality here, it makes a difference}
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

- Combine Guiness, milk, oil, & vanilla in the bowl of your mixer.  Beat in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated.  Then, mix in sour cream.

- Whisk together in a large bowl all dry ingredients.  Gradually mix into the wet ingredients.

- Use baking spray or line muffin tins & add batter.  To make this super easy, you can fill a gallon size Ziploc with the batter and cut the corner off to fill the muffin tins.  I find this is much easier to control than trying to fill with a spoon.

- Bake 25-30 minutes.  Cool before turning out onto wire racks.

 

Guiness Cream Cheese Frosting

• 16 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick butter
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoons of Guiness
• 1-2 tablespoons of milk if needed
• 1 pound of confectioners sugar

- Allow the cream cheese to sit out for at least 30 minutes to soften.  Do not microwave!

- Whip the cream cheese + butter together.

- Beat in the vanilla and Guiness. 

- Slowly add the confectioners sugar and add the milk if needed for consistency.  It should be in between a stiff frosting and a thick glaze.  It should ooze a little to spread, but not drip down the cupcakes. Fill into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip & pipe on top of each cupcake.