Blue-Eyed Baker: Irish Carbomb Cupcakes

Today is the last day of finals week.  I had an 8 am final and now I'm finished with everything concerning the Spring 2013 semester.  I'm officially a Super Senior and that means in just one year I will finally be graduating.

With all the hustle and bustle of this week, studying, odd work hours, etc. I didn't get to bake anything and I'm not feeling a last minute baking adventure today.  Until 5 pm when I go to work today I just want to relax and maybe read a book.  If the boyfriend ever wakes up, it's still early, maybe we'll go to lunch or something.

So today my Blue-Eyed Baker post is going to focus on the most popular of the cupcakes I've baked so far, The Irish Carbomb.  I made these for the first time about a year or so ago and I've had to make them multiple times because they were a hit.  If I ever own a bakery someday I'll definitely have to use these as a daily item.

The recipe I use is from browneyedbaker.com and I don't change a thing.  They're a moist delicious cupcake that I couldn't imagine "fixing".

Irish Carbomb Cupcakes

Ingredients

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 Bailey's Irish Cream

Procedure

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.

This recipe yields about 2 dozen cupcakes.  It takes a few hours to make them at first and it's a very involved process.   But, if you do it right you won't be disappointed.

Here are some of my previous results:

My mom requested that I make them for Christmas last year so I added a little festive detail.  They were a hit with my uncles.  They even decided that they were taking me to Hollywood to have my own show.  They're a hoot.

Happy Friday and Happy Baking!