Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

For St. Patrick's Day I made Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes with Smitten Kitchen's recipe.  On Monday I gave you a preview of what I was going to make. With both frostings finished, I was confident that I wouldn't be up til 2 am finishing them! First I made the chocolate Guinness cake. All the alcohol burned off and the cocoa folded in perfectly. BTW: I'm still looking for legitimate Dutch-processed cocoa powder - that's cheap. Any suggestions? 

Adorable, yes? I know.

I was a little nervous about filling the mini cupcakes because -well- they are just so teensy! The first batch I layered the two frostings, whiskey ganache on bottom and Bailey's frosting on top.

Before I got gutsy and decided to fill the cupcakes

I'm a baker with an engineer's mind. Because I didn't have a clever apple corer at my side (it would probably be too big for a batch of minis anyways), I used this meat thermometer to "poke & swivel" cavities into the babycakes. It was the perfect tool! Then I came in with my piping bag and stuffed them with whiskey!

As for the Bailey's frosting, I decided it would be best to fully cover the tops of each cupcake, including the little nub I left peeping out of the whiskey ganache hole:

I made two of the mini cupcakes with both frosting types in one pastry bag. It was simply for experimental purposes. I think the swirl effect looks really pretty!

I then sprinkled green sugar on top, just to really emphasize the idea of celebrating St. Pat's (as if the three alcohols weren't enough!)

I made a few with gold foil liners. They remind me of little pots of gold. But upside down. Hmm...

Overall I got great responses from coworkers about these. Everyone seemed to like the bailey's and rich chocolate cake. I had a frosted one on Tuesday night and I could REALLY taste the whiskey. Like, a lot. I had to go have a snack to cleanse my palette. Then again, I think I have had one too many Irish Car Bombs, so it could just bring up ...memories.

Who wants the next batch?

St. Patrick's Day poker

At Tyler's, celebrating St. Patrick's Day. The guys are playing poker, with green beer. I'm blogging and eating saltines, tasty! Who's going to have the luck of the Irish on their side?

Update: Ace 7 vs. Jack Queen. Mike ended up with two pair: Aces and Sevens.... Mike won... no one was happy.

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!