St. Patrick's Day Irish Car Bomb Cupcake Preview

What's in this black bag here?

Cupcake materials!

But Lauren, a Guinness was pulled out!

Great observation...

And what's that? Bailey's? ...and whiskey?

Yes! In miniature bottles!

Are you making an Irish Car Bomb?

Sort of! 

Tonight I drove to Marina Liquors (3108 Del Monte Blvd, Marina) to purchase ingredients for the St. Patrick's Day cupcakes I am going to assemble tomorrow night. I am using Smitten Kitchen's Chocolate Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes recipe. (She is being politcally correct - they are Car Bomb Cupcakes straight up!)

I called ahead to make sure that the liquor store would have mini Bailey's and Jameson bottles. Sadly, no Jameson, so I had to purchase scottish whiskey instead. The guy at the register was super funny and very helpful! The liquor store opens at 8:30 am and stays open til midnight every day but Friday and Saturday, when they are open until 1 am. Is it strange that I really want to bring the cashier one tomorrow when they are done? 

First I made the chocolate whiskey ganache. Easy as pie! Then I simultaneously tried to watch Gossip Girl, make dinner - lots of intense microwave button pushing involved, eat dinner (while it was warm), avoid the undercooked shrimp (SKETCH!), and make the Bailey's frosting. Problem is that I had to constantly keep adding confectioner's sugar to the whipped butter, but in 1 tablespoon increments! Nuts! I made a huge mess in the kitchen and ended up adapting the recipe ever so slightly. I didn't add the recommended amount of sugar and used heavy whipping cream to improve the consistency to what I thought was more appropriate. 

Tomorrow I'll be making the chocolate Guinness cupcakes. My challenge is how to incorporate the ganache. She stuffs it into the cake, but if I make mini cupcakes, that may get tricky!