Drunken Irish Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together flour and baking soda.

Pour Guinness into a small saucepan and add butter. Slowly heat on the stove top until butter is melted.

Once butter is melted, whisk in cocoa powder and sugar until combined.

Combine eggs and yogurt in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until combined.

Slowly add Guinness mixture to eggs and yogurt and beat with the mixer.

Add in flour mixture and beat until well combined.

Fill a cake pan or baking cups and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. My oven takes approx 15 minutes for cupcakes, but yours may differ.

For the frosting:

Place sugar and egg whites in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.

Transfer the bowl to the mixer stand (or hot pad if using a hand mixer). Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.

Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don’t worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add Bailey’s, and beat just until combined.

Make sure the cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting, as buttercream melts extremely easily!