Beer Brownie Cupcakes With Beer Buttercream 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.

BROWNIE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a small bowl, beat egg and sugar. Stir in vanilla and chocolate mixture. Gradually add flour; fold in pecans., Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake until tops begin to crack, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

BEER BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Sift together the flour and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Add the salt and stir together.
• Meanwhile, add 2 inches of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set it over the saucepan (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside.
• Melt the 1 stick butter in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat and continue to cook until it just turns golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately pour the brown butter into the bowl of chocolate, scraping in the brown bits (to avoid overcooking the butter). Add the beer and stir together.
• Combine the eggs with both sugars in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer on high speed until thick and shiny, about 2 minutes. Continue beating on low speed while adding the flour mixture and wet ingredients in alternating batches. Beat in the vanilla. Do not over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake until matte all over and a toothpick inserted in the center looks fudgy, but not wet, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let the brownies cool in the pan before cutting and serving.

ROOT BEER FLOAT CUPCAKES & FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325*F
• Prepare cupcake pans with paper liners.
• In a bowl mix cake mix, flour, sugar and salt.
• Slowly add root beer and blend.
• Add vegetable oil and root beer extract and blend well.
• Add sour cream and eggs. Blend. Scrape sides of the bowl and blend again.
• Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling them 3/4 full.
• Bake for 16 - 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then move to a cooling rack.
• Once cupcakes are cool, whip heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar together.
• Place whipped cream into a piping bag with a metal tip.
• Holding the metal tip with one hand, and the top of the piping bag with the other hand, stick the tip into the center of a cupcake and squeeze. Cupcake will expand slightly. Remove tip and repeat for all cupcakes.
• Once all cupcakes are filled, top with Root Beer Buttercream Frosting.
• To make frosting, beat butter until silky smooth.
• Add powdered sugar 1 cup at at time blending well between each addition (total of 3 cups).
• Add extract and heavy whipping cream and mix well. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.
• If root beer buttercream is too thick, add additional heavy whipping cream (1 Tablespoon at a time) until desired consistency.
• Pipe onto cupcakes and top with a root beer barrel candy.

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.