Irish Coffee Cupcakes

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A little coffee….a little Bailey’s…and a splash of whiskey.   That would make an Irish Coffee – a rich a delicious after dinner drink.  How about a cupcake with those same flavors for an after dinner dessert?  How could you go wrong with rich, dark chocolate cupcake filled with a whiskey ganache and topped with an Irish cream frosting?

The Boys Club thought it was a grand idea and we do, too!  After all, real men love cupcakes!

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes (2 dozen)

Ingredients:

  •  14 ounces granulated sugar
  • 6 ounces cake flour
  • 2.2 ounces cocoa powder
  • 1¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 8 ounces buttermilk
  • 4 ounces vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon coffee flavored liqueur (optional)
  • 8 ounces hot coffee
  • whisky ganache filling (recipe follows)
  • Irish cream frosting (recipe follows)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and line two cupcake pans with liners. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Mix until combined.

3. Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and coffee liqueur (if using), and mix until the batter is smooth. Slowly and carefully stream in the hot coffee while the mixer is on low. The cake batter will be thin and runny, which is okay. It is supposed to be that way.

4. Fill the prepared cupcake pans about ¾ of the way. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans slightly. Place the cupcakes on a  wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.

5. Place the whisky ganache in a pastry bag, fitted with a plain circle tip. Poke a hole in the center of the cupcake with the bag and squeeze the ganache directly into the cupcake. Fill with about 2 teaspoons of ganache. To frost the cupcakes, fill another pastry bag with the Irish cream frosting. You can use whichever decorating tip you’d like for this. I used a star tip. Swirl the frosting on top of each cupcake. Sprinkle with cinnamon for garnish and enjoy. Keep any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.

Whisky Ganache Filling

Yield: about 1½ cups

Ingredients:

  •  8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 5½ ounces heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ounce whisky
  • pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Heat the cream until it simmers.

2. Place the chopped chocolate into a bowl heat-proof bowl, and pour the simmering cream over it. Let set for about a minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Add the butter, whisky and a pinch of salt. Stir until completely smooth.

3. Let sit at room temperature until cool and slightly thick. If you want to speed up the process you can place the ganache in the refrigerator and stir every 5 minutes until it has thickened. Place in a pastry bag and fill the cupcakes.

 Irish Cream Frosting

yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients: 

  •  16 to 20 ounces confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 10 ounces (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream

Instructions:

1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high until the butter is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, and whisk until combined. Add the Irish cream and mix on high until the frosting is smooth. Frost the cupcakes.

 

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