CAR BOMB CUPCAKES

Due to a non-existent budget and a predilection for cheap vodka, us having good alcohol on hand is a little bit of a rarity. We do, however, sometimes surprise even ourselves on holidays like St. Patty’s Day by splurging on the good stuff. These alcohol-laced cupcakes are scrumptious, adorable, and innocuous-enough-looking to bring into the housing office without getting anyone fired... yet.

Besides Bailey’s, Jameson, and Guinness, which you should already have in preparation for the holiday, you will need:

For cupcakes:

1 cup Guinness

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

3/4 cup cocoa*

2 cups flour with some salt sprinkled in

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

For ganache (think fudgey chocolate filling)

about 2/3 a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips* 

2/3 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons softened butter

2 tablespoons Jameson*

For frosting:

2 cups (4 sticks) softened butter (I’M SORRY IT’S SO MUCH, DON’T THINK ABOUT IT)

5 cups powdered sugar

6 tablespoons Bailey’s*

*NOTE: chocolate and liquor make people happy, so be generous. Just not TOO generous, you want the consistency to stay the same. But generous enough. You know what I mean.

Now cook!

In a pot, bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer, then stir in cocoa and whisk until smooth. Take it off the heat and let it cool a little. While it’s cooling, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda in a separate bowl. In yet another bowl, beat together eggs and sour cream using a fork because you’re too poor to afford an electric mixer. Add the chocolate-beer to the egg stuff and blend. Gradually add in and mix together all the flour stuff. Fill cupcake liners (I found out what they’re called!) 2/3 full of batter and bake for about 17 minutes at 350. 

While those are baking, ignore your roommate’s concerns that you’re using all the dishes in the house and get another bowl for ganache. Fill the bowl with chocolate chips. Giggle. Take just a few chocolate chips for yourself. Refill the bowl because you ate too many. Heat the cream on the stove until it’s simmering, then pour it over the chocolate chips and stir until they completely melt. Stir in the melted butter and Jameson. Anddddd maybe a splash of Bailey’s, cause why not.

HOKAY here’s where things get tricky. It would be absolutely lovely if you had the baking tools necessary to pipe ganache to fill your cupcakes, but you are SO far from that actually happening. Instead, find a butter knife and the smallest spoon you have in your apartment. Using the knife, cut out a 1 inch diameter chunk from your cupcake going about half the way down. Using your tiny spoon, get a glob of ganache approximately the size of your cupcake hole, and drop it in there. Use your fingers, no one will ever know. 

Now for frosting! While whipping the butter, gradually add all of the powdered sugar and Bailey’s. Keep going until it’s light and fluffy looking. Because you’ve got the ganache in there, the best way to ice these babies is to plop a large spoonful of icing on top and then spread it out with a knife or spatula. You can add a few drops of green food coloring if you like, but we preferred green sprinkles.

Behold: the most unflattering picture of Erin and Melissa ever taken, albeit with delicious cupcakes.