Two weeks ago, I got an email from my bff Jane. All that it said, was, “Have you made these yet? http://www.wearenotmartha.com/2011/03/chocolate-stout-cupcakes-with-irish-whiskey-filling-and-baileys-frosting/

they look AMAZING.”

I clicked on the link. Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Whiskey Filling and Bailey’s Frosting? Oh my goodness. No – I had not made these. But now I was on a mission to make them for St. Patrick’s Day!

SO this afternoon, I did it. No, I didn’t do the recipe exactly (I didn’t have Irish Whiskey. Woops! AND Brian’s drink of choice is Murphy’s, not Guinness)- but they still came out wonderful!

Murphy’s Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting

(adapted from We Are Not Martha and Brown Eyed Baker)

Here’s what you need:

For the Murphy’s cupcakes:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup Murphy’s Irish Stout
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

For the dark chocolate ganache:

• 1.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup heavy cream OR milk
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. Bailey’s Irish cream

For the Bailey’s buttercream frosting:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ½ cup Bailey’s Irish cream

Here’s what you do:

For the cupcakes:

• Heat the butter and Murphy’s in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool.
•  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In your mixer, beat eggs with sour cream. Add the cooled beer-butter-cocoa mixture and fold in with a spatula. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed – don’t overmix.
• Pour batter into a muffin pan, prepared with cupcake liners. Bake, at 350 degrees, until done, about 17-20 minutes. Cool.

For the ganache filling:

• Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.
• Warm the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Add the butter and Bailey’s and stir until smooth.
• Set aside until it is cool/thickened.

Cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake to insert filling. I used the cone method (GREAT how-to, here) but the other recipes, above, core the cupcake. You could use a piping bag to fill the cupcakes; I used a small spoon to insert the filling.

For the frosting:

• Beat butter until fluffy.
• Slowly add in powdered sugar.
• Mix in the Bailey’s.
• Frost the cupcakes and adorn with green sugar or other festive decorations!