Why, yes. Yes, I do!
It's the famous question at the gates at any military installation when you're lucky enough to have your vehicle randomly selected and searched before entering. Luckily, enough I transported these bombs to a few friends on post without detection from the MP's (aka Military Police).
BOOM!
Irish CarBomb Cupcakes, a Guinness based chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache infused with Irish Whiskey piped into the middle and then topped with a vanilla buttercream icing that's been spiked with Bailey's Irish Cream.
Apparently, I stumbled upon the most wonderful thing according to my husband. Irish Car Bombs are his favorite bar drink and finding it made into a dessert put the icing on the cupcake for him. I've got to give all the credit to the
Brown Eyed Baker for these sinful treats. In honor of St. Patty's Day, these cupcakes were a hit with everyone.
A few change ups in my version, I used an entire 12 oz bottle of Guinness Extra Stout, ran out of sour cream and ended up using some light vanilla yogurt in addition to the remaining light sour cream I had in the container. I also cut the salt to 1/4 tsp because I used a cup of salted butter for the cupcake batter.
I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao bittersweet chocolate chips for the ganache, made the icing as called for with a ton of butter, Baileys and powdered sugar, well worth it in the end. These are going to be my new go to dessert recipe for special occasions. Enjoy!
Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
via Brown Eyed Baker
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Prep Time: 40 minutes | Bake Time: 17 minutes
For the 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
For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey
For the Baileys Frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
1. To Make the 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.
2. 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.
3. To Make the 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.
4. To 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.
5. To Make the 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.
6. 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.
