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Rich, chocolatey cupcakes are made even better with Guinness! Top these Guinness Cupcakes with vanilla buttercream for a decadent St. Patrick’s Day dessert.
Last week I decided that I don’t make nearly enough cupcakes these days.
Back in the early days of my blog, I feel like I made every flavor combination possible and if you ever flip through cupcake archives here on My Baking Addiction, you’ll see that I am sooo not kidding.
There’s pretty much something for everyone. From Doctored Cake Mix Cupcakes and Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes to adorable Bunny Butt Cupcakes that are the cutest for Easter.
Since I have so many cupcake recipes already on the blog, I thought I’d start giving some of them a little refresh starting with these Guinness Cupcakes that I posted many years ago.
They’re simple, rich, delicious and perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
COOKING WITH GUINNESS STOUT
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that I’m not a beer fan.
Honestly, I’m not really an alcohol fan in general. I’ll occasionally mix up a drink with pineapple vodka or have a sip of tiramisu martini, but I particularly loathe beer.
Although I do not like to drink beer, I do like to cook with it, especially when it’s Guinness. There is something about this dark, thick stout beer that enhances some dishes and really imparts a fabulous flavor.
I mostly use Guinness in savory recipes, such as Guinness Stew, Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew or Irish Beer Cheese. But some time ago I learned about using Guinness in chocolate cupcakes and was all over it!
I mean, how could we go wrong with rich, chocolatey cupcakes?
DO THESE CUPCAKES TASTE LIKE GUINNESS?
If you are like me and don’t like to drink beer: don’t worry, these cupcakes don’t actually taste like beer!
Don’t panic as you’re making them though. The batter smells very strongly of Guinness, but the finished product is a moist, light cupcake full of chocolatey goodness that is enhanced by the stout.
Topped with a crown of Homemade Buttercream Frosting, these cupcakes are downright perfect.
In fact, I might have to think about how to add Guinness to other chocolate recipes now.
HOW TO MAKE GUINNESS CUPCAKES
If you’re like me and like to keep a few bottles of Guinness handy just for cooking, then you may just already have everything you need to make these cupcakes:
- 1 bottle Guinness
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
These cupcakes use oil instead of butter, which gives them a beautiful crumb and helps keep them super moist. It also means they’re quick and easy to whip up because you don’t have to cream any butter and sugar together.
In a large bowl, mix together the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Portion the batter into 24 muffin tins lined with paper cups and bake for about 25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
Let the cupcakes cool in their tins before whipping together the vanilla buttercream frosting and piping it onto the cupcakes.
(If you really want to go above and beyond with the St. Patrick’s Day theme, you could use Baileys instead of milk in the buttercream!)
I like to finish these Guinness Cupcakes with a sprinkling of chocolate jimmies.
Bake up a batch of these rich cupcakes to share with your neighbors this St. Paddy’s Day and see if they can guess the secret ingredient that makes them so decadent!
Guinness Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce bottle Guinness Stout
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- Homemade Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet Guinness mixture.
- Butter 24 muffin tins and divide the batter among the muffin tins.
- Bake 25 minutes, until risen and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out of the tins. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Homemade Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
- Tiny pinch fine sea salt
- 1 ½ pounds powdered sugar 24 ounces; sifted
- 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract (this helps maintain the bright white color)
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 6-7 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the salt and powdered sugar, and continue beating until the sugar is fully incorporated.
- Add in vanilla and cream or milk and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for an additional 6-7 minutes.
- If the buttercream is too thick, add in a bit of milk, one teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Video
Notes
- This recipe will make enough frosting to generously frost 24 cupcakes or one 9 inch layer cake.
- You can easily adjust the consistency of this recipe by simply adding in more heavy cream or milk.
- If you are a fan of shortening in your buttercream, simply omit one stick (1/2 cup) of butter and replace with 1/2 cup shortening.
- Clear vanilla extract is used in this recipe to keep the frosting nice and white. If you don’t mind a slight color change, feel free to use pure vanilla extract, but decrease the amount to 2 teaspoons.
- Covered and refrigerated frosting can be stored for up to three days. Simply bring it to room temperature and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. You may need to add a couple of teaspoons of heavy cream or milk to revive the consistency. Frosting can also be frozen for up to a month.
- If you choose to dye your frosting, go easy with the dye. Remember, you can always add more color, but you can’t remove it.
- If you garnish with sprinkles, make sure you do this immediately after you frost your baked goods. Once the top layer of the buttercream crusts, nothing will stick.
- Learn how to make powdered sugar for those times when you have run out but still want frosting!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this recipe for a St Patrick’s day party. They came out really good and had a great taste. Made the buttercream frosting too!
Made the cupcakes but I think I will add a little sale if I make them again, they tasted a little flat. Other than that they were good and had a nice chocolate flavor.
Is the sour cream a necessity? What can I substitute it with?
Hi, Easteen! The sour cream brings a richness to the cake. You don’t taste it at all, but if you’d like to substitute for it, you could use whole milk Greek yogurt, buttermilk, or strained plain yogurt. I hope you enjoy them!
Hello! I just made these and the iceing! They smell awesome but I haven’t tried yet. I have a question about the iceing. Mine turned out very thick and extremely sweet and suggestions? I doubled the recipe so my mixer was haveing a rough time lol
Christin-
You might try adding a little milk if you think it is too thick and you can adjust the sugar to your taste. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
Hi. May i know what frosting tip you used here and how to pipe it just like in the picture?
Many thanks :))
Alma-
I used a large round tip. I hope this helps. :)
-Jamie
I do not like beer at all, but this cupcakes forced me to change my mind, they are great. I’ve featured yours cupcakes on my blog! I hope you don’t mind! If you don’t agree with that please contact me and I will remove it. All the best.