Luck of the Irish

Kiss Me I'm Irish Cakes

I've often wondered what life was like for my Great-Great-Grandfather Porter in Ireland before immigrating to the United States.  Recent marketing ploys have me wanting to find out more and search Ancestry.com but what I'd really like to do is walk the countryside and see the very sites where my family once lived, farmed, and gathered with friends.  Knowing some of what I do about my heritage, I'm not exactly sure that my GG Grandfather would have kicked back at the local pub after a hard day in the field and shared a pint with the likes of Darby O'Gill and Sean Garrigan.  But...maybe a bit of me likes to imagine that he would...after all, that's what this week is about, right?  Celebrating Irish heritage, the legend of St. Patrick who brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle, and dreaming catching little men in the hopes of getting wishes granted.

In honor of my own Irish heritage, I decided to combine my new found love of baking with a touch of the homeland.  The result...something I'm calling Kiss Me I'm Irish Cakes (but feel free to call them anything you want)!  There are many variations of this recipe online.  I took bits and pieces of a few and fit them to meet my needs (and what I had readily available).  Warning:  Due to the fact that this is related to an Irish heritage...yes, liquor is involved!  Straight up Irish whiskey and stout in these cupcakes if you please!  

KISS ME I'M IRISH CAKES

(Adapted from several recipes)

Cupcakes

1 cup Guinness
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 tea. salt in large bowl to blend.
4. In another bowl, beat eggs and sour cream together with an electric mixer.
5. Add the stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine.
6. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using a rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
7. Fill the lined cupcake pans 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake 17 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.


Frosting
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
3 to 4 tablespoons Bailey’s

1. Cream the butter with an electric mixer.
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar
3. Add the desired amount of Bailey’s (or milk, if you don’t like Baileys) to the frosting to make it a little creamier.
4. Ice the cupcakes and decorate.

Starbucks Via Infused Minis

Starbucks Via Infused Cupcakes

Ever have one of those days when the only remedy is the drive thru at Starbucks?  Or maybe the venti latte (double shot) and some dark chocolate?  Yes, my coworkers and I have those days often.  In fact, we love our coffee so much, we decided to be part time baristas last Halloween!  (We were pretty cute I'll admit.)

What could be more natural than combining both of these life changing antidotes into a cupcake?  To celebrate the birthday of one of my coworkers, I decided to liven up a normal chocolate cupcake by adding a pack (or three) of Starbucks Via.   The cake itself was the old standby Duncan Hines Devil's Food (already had in the pantry).  Literally, the only change was adding the Via to the batter while mixing.

To top it off, some homemade dark chocolate buttercream.  I used the time tested Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting....the same recipe my mom has used for years.  Yes, it's the one on the Hershey's Cocoa box!  Careful with this frosting, though...it's persnickety!  I add the vanilla last and keep the milk handy as it will have almost a cement consistency rather than a nice, fluffy frosting.  I add more milk by the teaspoon until it looks nice and spreadable.  Most important - always use real butter!  Margarine's fine for toast, but it has to be real butter for frosting!  (Yes, I've learned the hard way!)

I found baking these in mini form was most effective as there was a lot of punch...rich, dark caffeinated chocolatey goodness!

From the back of the Hershey's Cocoa box:
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine 2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa 3 cups powdered sugar 1/3 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.