Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!! I hope you all are wearing green today so you don't get pinched ;) Tonight my parents and Chris' parents are coming over for some Slow Cooker Drunken Irish Beef Stew. Well, weather pending (yes, we are STILL expecting snow...it's never going to end). And for dessert? These little babies right here.

I usually don't love cream cheese frosting on chocolate cake, but somehow it works on these cupcakes. I think because the cream cheese flavor isn't too overpowering, and neither is the chocolate flavor. Guinness is in the cupcake (obviously...it IS St. Patrick's Day), which helps make the cake extra moist. Enjoy and have a great holiday! We'll be here shoveling ourselves out of the house if you need us!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for dusting finished cupcakes
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Pinch fine salt
• 1 (12 oz.) bottle stout beer (recommended: Guinness), room temperature
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (1 lb.) box confectioners' sugar
• Sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 24 muffin tins or line with baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.

In another medium mixing bowl, combine the stout, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat in eggs, 1 at time. Mix in sour cream until thoroughly combined and smooth. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

Divide the batter equally between muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for about 12 minutes and then rotate the pans. Bake another 12 to 13 minutes until risen, nicely domed, and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out.

To make the icing:In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the heavy cream. On low speed, slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Icing can be made several hours ahead and kept covered and chilled.

Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa or sprinkles, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Food Network