Best Dessert EVER!

This is NOT a gluten free recipe. REPEAT: this is by no stretch of the imagination a GF recipe.

However, it is incredibly delicious.

Like, knock your socks off yummy!

A friend sent me the link to this recipe from this blog. I wanted to make it SO bad. One problem, we've cut gluten out of our diets (minus a special occasion or two). Hmmm...what could my special occasion be???

That same week was my brother's going away party. Since I needed a spectacular way to send him off while simultaneously needing to give him a final memory of his loving sister at home who will cook for him anytime he wants (this is my small attempt at making sure he'll actually come back to the States!), I decided this would be the PERFECT recipe for him!

You have your typical ingredients for cupcakes. But in this situation, I like to think of them as merely the supporting actors.

This production requires some major superstars. Therefore...

...I give you the lead characters!

Mmmmmm. Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Icing!

How could it even possibly go wrong?

For your cupcakes, you'll need:

1 bottle Extra Stout Guinness (warm)
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

For your icing, you'll need:

1 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
4″ish” cups powered sugar
5 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Creme

I doubled this recipe because I wanted to make sure I had plenty for my brother and his friends, but with the ingredients above, you'll get 24 regular size cupcakes.

I found these cupcake liners which I thought would be perfect so my cupcakes could look like they were wearing little Irish kilts!

Anyway, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cut up your butter and place it in a large saucepan. Pour your beer into the saucepan as well and let the butter melt and blend with the beer over medium heat. This was so exciting for me!

While that's melting, use your mixer to whisk together your flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

When your butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and add your cocoa. Whisk together until smooth. Oh boy, it's REALLY getting good! Let this cool for a while.

While you're waiting for it to cool, go ahead and whisk in your eggs and sour cream. I'm a big fan of sour cream because I think it always adds to a recipe. This is why these cupcakes came out so moist and perfect.

Once your chocolate mixture has cooled (the hubs came in and got this shot), add it to your dry flour mixture and whisk it until it has just combined.

Check out all of those beer bubbles!

Once you've lined your cupcake pans, pour the awesome batter in until they are 3/4 full.

FYI: this batter is delicious and has a very stout, bitter dark chocolate taste to it. This will be a great compliment to the very sweet icing later.

Let those cupcakes bake for about 30 minutes or so. Let them cool on a rack. You may have to sample one here...if necessary.

Now for the icing.

This was everyone's favorite! It is incredibly sweet, but oh so good!

Whip your room temperature butter for about 2 minutes or until it's light.

Add in 3-4 cups of powdered sugar in with the butter making sure to add it gradually. I started out with just 3 cups and added more later to get the consistency that I was looking for.

Add 5 tablespoons of Bailey's to the icing.

You could add less, but if you really actually consider taking AWAY some Bailey's, this probably isn't the recipe for you.

Frost those cupcakes and devour!

Here's my final product!

I must say, I think they were a hit with everyone. Cupcakes can be considered dainty by some, but I saw plenty of the boys going back for seconds...and thirds...and even fourths (that's why I doubled the recipe!)

Thanks again to Caitlin Bolte for the recipe!

Enjoy!!!