Beer Bellies Chocolate Cupcakes Recipes

GUINNESS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH MOCHA GUINNESS BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the Guinness to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and allow to simmer until reduced down to 2/3 cup, about 20 minutes. Set 1/2 cup aside to cool for 10-15 minutes before using in the cupcake batter. While it's warm, mix the rest of the reduced Guinness (about 2-2.5 Tablespoons) with the 2 teaspoons of espresso powder used in the frosting. Set this mixture aside for step 5. You can do this step 1 day ahead of time if needed. Refrigerate overnight. Bring reduced beer to room temperature before using in both the cupcake batter and frosting.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 4 liners - this recipe makes about 16 cupcakes. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the 1/2 cup (120ml) reduced Guinness, then whisk until *just* combined. Do not over-mix. The batter will be on the thinner side.
• Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill each 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking. Bake for 19-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't over-bake, which will dry out the cupcakes. Begin checking for doneness at 19 minutes. For around 36 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes, same oven temperature. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
• Have the Guinness/espresso powder mixture from step 1 handy. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, milk, reduced Guinness/espresso powder mixture, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low for 30 seconds then increase to high speed and beat until combined and creamy. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if desired. (I always add 1/8 teaspoon.) If you want the frosting a little thicker, add 1/4 cup (30g) of confectioners' sugar.
• Frost cooled cupcakes. I piped a basic tall swirl using Ateco 849 piping tip.
• Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days.

CELEBRATORY CHOCOLATE BEER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the chocolate cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the cupcake pans with 24 liners. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
• In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the milk, butter, vanilla extract and eggs and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Whisk in 1 cup boiling water last. Batter will be very thin. Pour evenly into the prepared cupcake pans until about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 21 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Place the cupcakes in the freezer to speed up the cooling process.
• For the beer flavored ganache: In microwave-safe bowl, heat the cream on high until it begins to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and add the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Add the cold butter and stir until butter is combined; this will cool the ganache. Then, add the beer and stir until well incorporated. Set aside until ready to dip the cupcakes. (If it hardens too much before you are able to dip the cupcakes, reheat slightly in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir well.)
• For the chocolate beer frosting: Dissolve the salt in the beer and set aside. In a 5-quart mixing bowl, cream the shortening until very creamy, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups powdered sugar and the cocoa powder to the bowl and mix well. Pour the salt and beer mixture into the bowl and mix until combined. Then add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
• To assemble: Dip the cooled chocolate cupcakes into the beer flavored ganache. Then pipe chocolate beer frosting on top of the ganache layer using a 1M Wilton tip, or any tip that will create ridges. Drizzle the cooled Beer Drizzle over the frosting.
• Pour the beer into small saucepan. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat. Continue to stir to avoid burning. Reduce the beer and sugar until it begins to thicken slightly and resemble syrup, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the convection oven to 325 degrees F or a standard oven to 350 degrees F.
• In large mixer bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy with a heavy duty mixer. Add the melted chocolate and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add half of the flour to the mixer bowl along with 1/2 cup of the half-and-half. Mix until the flour is mixed in, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the rest of flour mixture and the other 1/2 cup half-and-half. Mix until the batter is smooth and all of the flour lumps are gone.
• Fill 24 cupcake liners half full and bake for 20 minutes in the convection oven or 28 minutes in the standard oven. The tops of the cupcakes should be lightly browned. Check the cupcakes to make sure no batter sticks to a wooden toothpick when inserted into the cupcake. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the ganache: Put the chocolate chips, heavy cream and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each time, until the chocolate chips are melted and the ganache has the consistency of hot fudge. It will look like a mess at first but as you continue to stir it will start to form a thicker mixture. If the ganache becomes too thick to dip, put it back in the microwave for about 15 seconds and stir again.
• For the chocolate whipped mousse filling and topping: In large mixer bowl, beat the heavy cream, half-and-half and pudding mix until light and fluffy using heavy duty mixer. It should have the consistency of whipped cream. Put the filling in a pastry bag or zipper bag with a corner cut off.
• To assemble: Make a hole in the middle of each cupcake using a sharp knife. Be sure and leave a small amount of cake in the bottom of the hole. Fill the cupcakes using the filling in the bag. Using the same bag, frost the tops of the cupcakes with the filling. Put in the freezer until the topping mixture is cold and somewhat stiff, about 20 minutes.
• Dip each cupcake in ganache and immediately sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and garnish with a piece of chocolate bar. Let the cupcakes sit until the ganache is set. Then serve, or refrigerate until time to serve.

CHOCOLATE BEER CUPCAKES WITH WHISKEY FILLING AND IRISH CREAM ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Bring Irish stout beer and 1 cup butter to a boil in a saucepan and set aside until butter has melted, stirring occasionally. Mix in cocoa powder until smooth.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
• Beat eggs with sour cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low until well combined. Slowly beat in the beer mixture, then the flour mixture; beat until the batter is smooth.
• Divide batter between the prepared cupcake cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 17 minutes.
• Cool the cupcakes completely. Cut cores out of the center of each cupcake with a sharp paring knife. Discard cores.
• Bring cream to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat; stir in bittersweet chocolate until melted.
• Mix in 2 tablespoons butter and Irish whiskey until butter is melted; let mixture cool to room temperature. Filling will thicken as it cools.
• Spoon the filling into the cored cupcakes.
• For frosting, whip 1/2 cup butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Set mixer to low speed and slowly beat in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the Irish cream liqueur; adjust thickness of frosting with more confectioners' sugar if needed.
• Spread frosting on filled cupcakes.