Okay, before we get started with this amazingly delicious recipe I have to say (since Deb from SK caught so much flack in her comments), I did NOT name the drink these cupcakes are derived from and it is not meant to be offensive in any manner. Moving on, I first encountered these amazing Irish Carbomb Cupcakes a couple of years ago while searching for the perfect birthday cake for my friend. I made them then and I am pretty sure my friends have mentioned something about me making them again every couple of months or so since then.
I have SO MANY recipes (especially desserts) bookmarked, I hate making the same thing multiple times no matter how much I love it; I guess I feel like there are so many cupcakes out there for me to bake & enjoy! I am very glad I revisited this recipe, for one they are AMAZING, but also so I could share them with you!! Now I won’t try to tell you this is a simple recipe, it is for sure a labor of love, but I will tell you it is worth it!
These could be sped up and simplified by nixing the ganache filling, but I think you would be missing out. Hopefully your Thanksgiving meal planning is coming along well, I am only struggling in how to skim down the oh so long (and always growing) mental list of things I want to make. I’m thinking chocolate pecan pie is sounding good for dessert though, what about you?
Irish Carbomb Cupcakes
- Yield: 24 Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 cup Guinness (or other stout beer)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 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
Ganache Filling:
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate
- 2/3 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey, I recommend Jameson (optional)
Baileys Icing:
- 3 to 4 cups confections sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6-8 Tablespoons Baileys
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°, line cupcake pans and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat bring the beer and butter to a simmer. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream until combined. Slowly add the stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat slowly until just combined.
- Divide the batter in the prepared cupcake pan, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. In the preheated oven bake the cupcakes for about 17 minutes (or until tester inserted into center comes out clean). Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile, make the ganache.
Ganache:
- Put chocolate in medium heat safe bowl and set aside. Over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, heat the cream/half-and-half until simmering then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If the chocolate has not completely melted you can place in the microwave for 20 seconds, but watch carefully so you don’t burn it). Add the butter and whiskey (if using) and stir until combined.
- Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to work with (you can refrigerate the mixture to speed up, but you will need to stir it every 10 minutes or so). Meanwhile cut the centers out of the completely cooled cupcakes, about 2/3 of the way deep. When all cupcakes are ready, fill them with the ganache. You can do so with a spoon and your finger, or by using a piping bag with a wide tip.
Icing:
- To prepare the icing, beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- While on medium speed add the powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, slowly add the Baileys beat until combined. If the icing has thinned too much add a couple more tablespoons of powdered sugar. Frost ganache filled cupcakes and enjoy!
Source: Smitten Kitchen
OMG, this looks amazing! I want!
These look fabulous. Adding them to my list of Must-Try recipes.!
Oh man, these could get me in trouble!! I think I would eat the whole tray! Your pictures are beautiful, can't wait to try these! and choc pecan pie?! never had it, but YUM!
WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE TARTAN CUPCAKE LINERS?! SO CUTE!!
I actually got them at Target during Halloween, they had pumpkins on the bottom!
Great pictures! I made a Guinness chocolate cake a few weeks ago and it was the best.cake.ever. I've wanted to make these cupcakes for a long time and I think you're finally convincing me to get on it!
wow… these look amazing. I can't wait to try them.
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This looks so delicious. Would love for you to share this with us over at foodepix.com.
Wow! These sound so good 🙂
WOW!!!! I can't wait to try these, my husband and FIL will LOV THEM!!
I just made these and while the cake was AMAZING and the ganache is good as well, the Bailey's frosting – not so much (for my taste). I thought the icing tasted grainy with the sugar to butter ratio. I increased it to 2 cups of butter with 3 cups of sugar, 100mL of Bailey's and added some vanilla. The extra butter made the icing creamier and way less sweet. I can't do super sweet icings, they make me sick. Just a tip for anyone who has a picky sweet tooth like me!
These are SOOOOO GOOD!!!! my friend gave me the recipe over so I could make them for Christmas. Everyone loved them! I recommend
They do take forever to make though. soo Have another person helping you or youll be up all night.
They are a labor of love, but they truly are worth it! So glad you loved them!
I really want to make these, but I know I'll poop out halfway through if I do them cupcake-style. I'm thinking of converting this into a cake, somehow, with a layer of the ganache between layers of cake. Somehow. Or perhaps cutting little troughs into the cake after I bake it? Maybe?
I'll be playing around with this tomorrow!
Just got finished making these – AMAZING. I decreased the sugar a bit in the frosting but other than that, kept true to the recipe and while they're not a treat you can afford to make very often – they were so easy. My work potluck won't know what hit them! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
hehehe… I think the name is great ;).. I've made these in cake style before, so yummy but definately not a treat I can handle everyday, i'd be 1000 pounds!!
Did anyone else find that the 17 min mark for the cupcakes was not long enough, closer to 25 minutes? I had enough batter to evenly pour into the 24 cups. Just curious, aside from that excellent recipe!
Just completed these for Saint Paddys this weekend! Cupcakes turned out perfect, still waiting for my ganache to finish cooling (seems a little too wet still, so we will see how it thickens up), and waiting on making the frosting, but I am sure it will be great. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Can't wait to put it all together!
I made these for St. Paddy's day this past weekend and they were a hit!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! I just finished making them for a friend's birthday party (later tonight) and had one for tasting purposes… best cupcake I've ever had. I did also up the butter ratio in the icing, and I used WAY more Bailey's and Jameson. My friends enjoy their booze…. Appreciate the deliciousness… keep up the good work!
I made these cupcakes last night for a potluck and they were a HUGE success. I've never received so many compliments! And now my friend wants me to make them for her wedding!
I'm sure these cupcakes are delicious but you seriously need to change the name. It is not just offensive but also very very insensitive. http://www.omaghbomb.co.uk/
any idea how many calories are in one?
I know this sounds dumb but can you taste the alcohol or no?
Like on a scale from 1-10
making them today as practice for st. paddy's. thanks for the recipe!