Bailey's Chocolate Cupcakes

Bailey's Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, I present to you Bailey's cupcakes! My experience with this recipe has many ups and downs. Let me explain...

The first time I made this recipe, I accidentally doubled the amount of milk. Luckily, the 8 inch cake turned out perfectly fine. Now the second time I made it, I was too lazy to use applesauce so I replaced all the 'fat' with yogurt. That resulted in a very dense and hard cake. Not too good. Today, my luck has not been the greatest. (No four-leaf clover from the leprechaun for me?) Only after three trials and nearly 2 hours later did an acceptable cupcake come out of the oven. This was an unexpected blow to my baking ego, I suppose its a reminder to stay humble, haha!

Three trials later

1st trial: burnt.

2nd trial: too low of an oven temperature, expanded before becoming fulled cooked.

3rd trial: followed oven temperature in recipe + used a foil tent to shield the tops. 

Since I was baking these as gifts, I could not use burnt or ugly cupcakes. My family will take care of those...

Nevertheless, these cupcakes will please 'adults' and those who love Irish cream. Fudgey and rich in flavour, a tastey (and healthy!) cupcake for anytime of year!

Bailey's Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from Skinnytaste 

Yield: 8 large cupcakes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 7 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 egg
• ½ cup stout
• ½ unsweetened apple sauce
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1½ tbsp oil

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake tin with 12 liners.
2. In a large bowl sift together all the dry ingredients; sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and espresso powder. 
3. In a medium bowl combine the wet ingredients (egg through canola oil) and beat until smooth.
4. With a mixer, slowly add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Pour about 3 heaping tbsp into each cupcake liner and bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

*Tip: If using a small convection oven, you may want to cover the top with some tin foil for the first 10-15 minutes and uncover to bake for the last few. This will prevent the tops from burning too fast.

Decoration Choices:

1. Bailey's Whipped Cream - Using an electric mixer, whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks. Add 1 or 2 tbsp of Bailey's and mix until incorporated. This works well for decorating cakes.
2. Bailey's Buttercream Frosting - For 8 cupcakes, beat ¼ cup of room temperature butter until light and fluffy. Sift in 1 cup of icing sugar until incorporated. Then add 2 tbsp of bailey and mix until pipping consistency is achieved.

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡