Boozy Irish Cupcakes

Bailey’s Chocolate Truffles

1. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. In a separate microwave-safe bowl, microwave cream and butter for about 40 seconds, until butter has melted and cream is just beginning to boil. Stir until smooth.
3. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and let sit about 5 minutes. Stir until smooth, microwaving for additional 10-second increments as/if needed to ensure chocolate is smoothly melted. Stir in Irish Cream until evenly incorporated.
4. Cover mixture with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator to chill until firm but scoopable, about 1 hr 30 min – 2 hours.
5. Line a tray with parchment paper and sift a generous amount of cocoa powder onto plate. Scoop chocolate by 1-ounce portions (about the size of a ping-pong ball) and roll into balls. Roll each ball into cocoa powder to coat and set on prepared tray. Return to refrigerator until ready to garnish cupcakes.

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Stir the Guinness, butter, brown sugar, and cocoa powder together in a small saucepan. Set over medium heat and whisk occasionally until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a bowl and handheld electric mixer), whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and espresso powder by hand. Add chocolate mixture and mix in on medium speed for one minute. Wipe down bowl and beater, add egg and sour cream, and continue to beat for another two minutes on medium; mixture should be smooth and batter will be very runny.
4. Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Cool briefly in pan, and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Whiskey-Spiked Coffee Buttercream

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a bowl and handheld electric mixer), beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, slowly increasing speed back up to medium-high as it incorporates, until frosting is fluffy and creamy. Wipe down bowl and beater and add coffee, whiskey, and salt. Beat in until smoothly incorporated.
2. Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (I used Ateco #808) and pipe onto cupcakes.
3. Garnish with green sprinkles, if using.

Bailey’s Chocolate Ganache

1. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. In a separate, microwave-safe bowl, microwave cream for about 30 seconds, just until it begins to boil. Pour over chocolate and let sit about 5 minutes. Stir until smooth, microwaving for additional 10-second increments as/if needed to make sure chocolate is completely melted. Stir in Irish Cream and corn syrup, if using.
3. Let ganache cool briefly (only if needed) until it reaches a good consistancy for drizzling. Spoon ganache over frosted cupcakes, allowing to drizzle slightly down sides.
4. Top cupcakes with prepared truffles. Serve immediatley, or keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator to serve later.