St. Paddy's Day: Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Baileys Ganache

So.....I have been a bit busy and I am so sorry I haven't been posting, In January I decided to go back to school and I thought it would be easy but the honest truth is that is not.  With the children and the house work and the hubby is just gets a little hard.  I decided to go to school for Pastry Chef (what a change from Electrical Engineer to Baker).  My kids think is "awesome" and I have to agree with them.  My hubby most of the time is not here, he is always in training with the Army and when he is here the only thing he asks is to dedicate ourselves to him, which is understandable since he hardly sees us.  He likes the idea of me going back to school and he likes more the idea that I will be able to make him more delicious sweets.
Yesterday my daughter Nellybe had to take "something" that's what she says to school.  "Nelly, so what do you need to take to school?" and she says "I don't know mom something...something to eat".  Well I decided to make this "something" Guinness Chocolate cupcakes since we are so lose to St. Paddy's Day.  I have to tell you this recipe is so delicious, the cake is so moist and the ganache is just out of this world, I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did, oh yes we had some too.


GUINNESS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
Ingredients:
Guinness Cupcakes:

1 Cup Guinness Stout
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
¾ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
¾ Teaspoon Salt
2 Large Eggs
⅔ Cup Sour Cream

Ganache Filling:

8 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate

⅔ Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature
3 Teaspoons Baileys Cream
1 Teaspoon of Whiskey

Baileys Frosting: 

3 Cups Confections Sugar
½ Cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 Tablespoons Baileys
1 Teaspoon of Green Food Coloring

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners.

2.  Put the butter with the beer in a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. 

3.

Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Cool slightly.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. 

5.  In a mixer bowl, beat the eggs and the sour cream together. 

6.  Add the cocoa mixture and beat to combine. 

7.  Add the flour mixture and beat briefly just to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined.

8.  Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way 

9.  Bake for about 17 minutes, or until a toothpick or a slim knife inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely to room temperature.

                                                               Very moist and incredible flavor

Make the filling: 

1.  Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. 

2.  Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. 

3.  Add the butter, whiskey and Irish Cream and stir until combined.

Fill the cupcakes: 

1.  Using your 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer or in my case a cupcake corer cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. 

2.  Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Make the frosting: 

1.  In a large mixer bowl, whip the butter for several minutes until very light and fluffy. 

2.  Slowly add the powdered sugar, letting it incorporate, until the butter becomes thicker and stiff.

3.  Slowly drizzle the Bailey’s and whip until combined. 

4.  Add green food coloring to desired hue. Ice and decorate the cupcakes.