Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting

For the cupcakes:
Heat the butter, Guinness, cocoa powder and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until melted. Remove from heat and let it cool to almost room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two 12-count muffin pans with cupcake liners and set aside.

Into the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl), add salt, flour, granulated sugar, and baking soda. Stir together to mix. Add the cooled beer mixture and beat (slowly at first, then on medium speed) for about 1 minute. Add the eggs and sour cream and beat on medium speed for another 1-2 minutes. Batter will be slightly runny.

Pour batter to fill each muffin cup about ⅔ of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes (mine took 20 minutes). Remove from oven.

Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove to cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the frosting:
Make sure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer), cream butter until light and fluffy. Add salt and half of the powdered sugar. Beat on low speed until sugar is slightly incorporated, then add remaining powdered sugar. Frosting will look dry at this point. Add Bailey’s and heavy cream and beat another 2-3 minutes.

Add frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (or whichever you prefer) and frost cupcakes as desired.

For the chocolate sauce:
Add Bailey’s, cocoa powder and corn syrup to a small saucepan and heat to a boil, whisking to incorporate. Once it boils, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips and stir until they are melted. Drizzle over cupcakes as desired.

Recipe adapted from food.com.