Description
These Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes combine rich Irish stout chocolate cupcakes with a boozy Irish whiskey caramel mousse filling and a festive Bailey’s whipped buttercream frosting, creating a decadent dessert with a fun candy corn swirl effect.
Ingredients
Scale
Irish Stout Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder
- 6 ounces stout beer, room temperature
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream
Irish Whiskey Caramel Mousse Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy cream, heated
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream, cold
Bailey’s Whipped Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup Irish Cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Red & yellow food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two standard cupcake trays with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and espresso powder until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the stout beer, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla bean paste, eggs, and sour cream until fully combined and smooth.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients in about three parts, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cupcakes tender.
- Fill Cupcake Liners and Bake: Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
- Make Caramel Sauce: In a microwave-safe measuring cup or glass bowl, combine granulated sugar, light corn syrup, water, and lemon juice. Whisk together until combined.
- Cook Caramel: Microwave on high for 8 minutes, watching carefully as the mixture turns pale golden. Remove and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes until it deepens to a rich amber color.
- Add Cream to Caramel: Slowly add the heated heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time to the caramel, whisking immediately after each addition to prevent overflow and to combine smoothly.
- Finish Caramel Sauce: Stir in vanilla extract, softened butter, and Irish whiskey until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool but still stirrable, about 1 hour.
- Whip Heavy Cream: In a clean bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form.
- Fold Whipped Cream into Caramel: Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled caramel sauce in three additions to create the mousse filling.
- Core Cupcakes: Using a sharp-tipped knife, cut a cone-shaped hole about halfway into each cupcake, taking care not to pierce the sides or bottom.
- Fill Cupcakes: Spoon the caramel mousse into a pastry bag and fill each cupcake cavity with the mousse.
- Prepare Bailey’s Buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until creamy.
- Add Powdered Sugar: With the mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing to incorporate fully after each addition.
- Add Flavorings: Mix in the Irish cream, vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of kosher salt. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Divide and Color Frosting: Divide the frosting into three small bowls. Leave one bowl white; add yellow food coloring drops to the second bowl; add red and yellow food coloring drops into the third bowl to create an orange shade. Mix colors until desired shades are reached.
- Pipe Frosting: Place each colored frosting into separate piping bags. Pipe the cupcakes in a circular motion, starting with yellow, then orange, and finishing with white on top to create a festive candy corn effect.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for best mixing results.
- The espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Watch the caramel closely while microwaving to prevent burning.
- Be gentle when folding whipped cream into the caramel to keep the mousse light and airy.
- Use a sharp knife or cupcake corer for clean, precise filling holes.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, substitute with pure vanilla extract for similar flavor.
- Adjust food coloring drops gradually to achieve precise hues without altering frosting consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
