Monday, March 19, 2012

Irish Cupcakes | Secret Recipe Club




A couple weeks ago, my friend Jim posted a link on my facebook wall with a photo of cupcakes. They were not your standard run of the mill cupcakes, but rather – “Irish Cupcakes”. I had never heard of these before and I was quite intrigued to learn more. After reading the ingredients, there were three kinds of liquor and a surprise in the middle of the cupcake. All three liquors are Irish and with the little ganache package inside, perhaps that is how the name arrived – they explode in your mouth.
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Rumor has it that if you have a particular Irish cocktail at an Irish bar, you might have to partake at your own risk. It is a shot glass with a mixture of Jameson’s Irish Whisky and Baileys Irish Cream that is dropped into a semi full glass of Guinness beer and you have to drink it all at once – yikes! I think I will stick with the cupcake version. Smile.



In any event, it is March and that means St. Patrick’s Day is here in all its glory and celebrations. March also begins a new month for Secret Recipe Club. If you have not yet received “the memo” and/or not heard of Secret Recipe Club, let me share quickly what it is. It is an online cooking club of food bloggers who enjoy receiving a new blog each month to explore and select a recipe that they want to make. They are given a specific date to post and then comes the big reveal. You see who received your blog and what they chose and visa versa. It is a great way to make new friends, learn new recipes and have fun along the way.
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For March I was paired up with Josie from Josie’s Kitchen. Josie was raised in the gorgeous Dominican Republic, which by the way I think I need to add to my bucket list. She currently resides in New York City with her true love, the Irishman. She loves cooking and I am sure the Irishman benefits from all those recipes on her blog. Just like Josie, my hubby benefits from all of my cooking and I sure they would be fast friends.


After perusing through all of Josie’s lovely recipes, I could not help choosing the Irish Cupcakes. I actually made them for St. Patrick’s Day.  Several things led me to choosing this:  (1) her recipe looked great (2) my friend Jim introduced me to these through Facebook and (3) I am half Irish – so why not. We certainly could not eat 24 of these little delights so several neighbors benefited from my baking bonanza. I made modifications to the frosting recipe by adding cream cheese and more powdered sugar + a few small tweeks. Thank you Josie for a simple and tasty recipe!


Irish Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 C. of Guinness stout
1 C. salted butter
3/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 C. all purpose flour
2 C. sugar
1 ½ t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 C. sour cream

Ganache filling
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 C. heavy cream
2 T. butter, room temperature
2 t. whiskey
1 t. vanilla

Frosting
6 cups of confectioner’s sugar
½ stick salted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces Cream cheese
2 t. Vanilla
2 t. of Baileys

Start by bringing the Guinness and butter to a simmer. Once the mixture has melted, whisk in the cocoa powder until blended and set aside. In a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and sour cream to blend in a mixer. Add the chocolate and beer mixture to the stand mixer and blend until combined. Add the salt and baking soda until mixed then slowly add the flour until combined and beat for about a minute.

Pour the mixture into cupcake liners set inside a cup cake pan. Only fill them about three quarters. Bake for about 17 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until knife comes out clean. Let them cool on a wire rack. While they cool, make the ganache filling. Over a double boiler or pan full of hot water, place a metal or glass bowl on top. Add the cream, whiskey and vanilla and let it heat on medium until very slightly bubbling. Then add the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Then add the butter and whisk until all combined. Set aside of the burner.

Use a sharp knife to hollow out a hole in each cupcake and I would recommend about an inch. With a spoon, fill each cupcake with the ganache. You may have some left over and you can make truffles. Simply chill and then form round balls and roll in cocoa.

To make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to a stand mixer and whip until fluffy. Add the vanilla and baileys and mix well. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar until all gone and whip until light and fluffy – about 4 to 5 minutes. Place into a large piping bag and decorate each cupcake. Garnish with your favorite decorations or leave plain.




















39 comments:

  1. We had a cake version of these for my brother's birthday cake this month, it is a really tasty combination, but not a drink I'd would ever order myself, here or in Ireland!
    I was lucky enough to have you for the month for SRC, I had a wonderful, tough time choosing, but ended up making your churros, they were excellent!

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    1. I bet the cake was divine! Hope you enjoyed the churros - I need to make these again!

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  2. Lisa, you are killin' me with those cupcakes. Boozy chocolate ganache, cream cheese frosting, oh yes please!
    Why did I have to come to visit you before breakfast? Very dangerous;)
    -E

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  3. I love these look absolutely wonderful!!

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  4. Oh, Lisa!! What a treat these bombs are, and your photographs are simply stunning. I'm pretty darn certain that my Irish husband would adore these guys as well as the original bar version. But I'm with you, I'll take my version in the cupcake as well.
    Hope the week is drying out! Heard you had a bit of rain...

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  5. I can't believe something called "Irish Car Bomb" looks so pretty!

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  6. GORGEOUS photos and what a delicious recipe!! It has been added to my to-do list!

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  7. Great timing for these with St. Patty's Day and all. I've been wanting to make a stout cake of some kind and these little treats might just do the trick! Great choice!

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  8. Awesome! They look amazing and I bet taste even better! Your pictures are wonderful!!!

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  9. You had me at Guinness. Your pictures look amazing. You cant go wrong with cupcakes. You picked a great one for SRC.

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  10. I've always wanted to make these cupcakes. They look delicious, I must try them soon!

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  11. What a great pick just in time for St. Patrick's Day! I bet these go down a lot smoother than the real Irish Car Bomb! HAHA

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  12. I love the name of these! My kids think it's cool too, they totally want me to make these! Great photos!

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  13. You've been a busy baker! Your post is filled with lovely photographs and oh how I wish I was one of your neighbors ;-)

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  14. Yet another recipe I am saving until next St. Paddy's Day. This is awesome sounding (unlike the drink---I hate dark beer!)

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  15. These are fabulous! What a yummy combination of goodness.

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  16. It's not just a rumor, we have irish car bombs at bars all the time, they're actually pretty good :)

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  17. OMG! Those look incredible, especially that ganache filling! Yum!

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  18. Yes, please...these look AMAZING! I'll take two: one for each hand, Lisa!

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  19. You've done a brilliant job Lisa! The cupcakes look incredible.

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  20. Beautiful cupcake! Great SRC pick.

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  21. Wow! They sounds delicious, and your photos are perfect!

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  22. These are just gorgeous! I have a feeling they'd disappear very quickly if I had them in my kitchen...so yummy! Excellent SRC pick~

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  23. Lisa...these are absolutely gorgeous! I can only imagine how fabulous they taste! So glad to be in group C with you and I can hardly wait to be assigned to your blog! : )

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  24. I have had more than my fair share of the drink version of this delicious combo(drop a shot of bailey's into a half filled guinness--Yum!). I can't wait to try this recipe!

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  25. Mmmmm I could go for about 2 of these right now! These really look tasty! If you have a second, I would love for you to drop by and check out my post from SRC group B :)
    http://successful2gether.blogspot.com/2012/03/secret-recipe-club-rothmans-fire.html

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  26. I have heard of these, and I am glad I finally got to see a recipe! They sound wonderful. I love the ganache, (my favorite). Your cupcakes are beautiful!

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  27. You had me at Irish Car Bomb! Definitely have to try this recipe. This is begging to be a desert at a tailgate :)

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  28. i made these too! however, i didn't know they had a name so i didn't get to tell everyone they were eating irish car bomb cupcakes, and that, my friend, is sad news. :)

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  29. OMG love these ...but as a proud Irish, not too fond of the name :-) They are so cute and sound super tasty! Thanks for sharing Lisa!

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  30. Hmm, I've had a sake bomb before but something tells me that these cupcakes would be much better. Everything you make always looks so perfect, Lisa. These are no exception.

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  31. these look great, i am glad you liked them!! your photos are beautiful, awesome job!

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  32. Lisa, these cupcakes look so decadent and delicious. No need to wait for next St. Patrick's Day to make them, I'll make them now! Thanks for sharing. Also, I’m having a great giveaway today with four potential prize winners, so you should enter!

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  33. Oh my oh my! When you first mentioned this on facebook, I knew I was already in love. I didn't even have to see them! This is absolutely on my list of things to make, and I don't even need St Paddy's day to enjoy it, that's for sure. Enjoy your Sunday!!! xo

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  34. I have saved this recipe a few time and have yet to make them...but you have me craving them as your cupcakes look amazing, especially the sliced open one...yum!

    If you haven't already, I'd love for you to check out my Group 'A' SRC entry: Broiled Sushi.

    Lisa~~
    Cook Lisa Cook

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  35. Oh my word!!! These look and sound AMAZING! What an awesome choice for SRC. Great to be in Group C with you. :)

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  36. I'm Irish living in Calgary Alberta Canada n am having a potluck soon n what better dessert for me to make than these, quick question though I live in high altitude, shud I make any adjustments?

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    1. Hello - thank you for stopping by! I wish I had the answer for you - I would suggest checking google for cooking temps in high altitudes. Good luck!

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