Sam's Edible Birthday Weekend, Entry #1: Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

My aspiring chef Sam turned 18, and, of course, we celebrated with Good Food and Loads of Love, Joy and Presents.

Because Sam and I had fantastic plans to make the Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday-Cake Cake, I didn't even think about making anything else cake-like (that post to follow... when I have more time in my life!). But when my friend, Lanie, posted on facebook that she was making Guinness Cake, I knew I had to make these cupcakes for Sam.  He has wanted to make them for so long, and, for as much as we are in the kitchen cooking and creating and coordinating, we just never seemed to get to making them.

So Sam's 18th birthday celebration was the perfect reason to OVER-indulge in deliciousness.  And thankfully, there were a couple of bottles of Guinness in our pantry, reserved especially for these cupcakes!

And Oh.My.GOODNESS ~ they are so delightfully DEEEEeeeeelicious.  Not too sweet, not too savory.  You definitely taste more stout than you do chocolate... and this gorgeous, fluffy, cream cheese frosting is absolutely perfect for them ~ perfect for their aesthetic value and their deliciousness value.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes ~ David Lieberman

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch fine salt
• 1 bottle stout beer (recommended:  Guinness)
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda and salt.

In another medium mixing bowl, combine the stout, melted butter and vanilla.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.  Mix in sour cream until thoroughly combined and smooth.  Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixutre.

Lightly grease 24 muffin tins (or use muffin papers).  Divide the batter equally between muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full.  Bake for about 12 minutes and then rotate the pans.  Bake another 12 - 13 minutes until risen, nicely domed and set in the middle, but still soft and tender.  Cool before turning out.

Icing

In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Gradually beat in the heavy cream. On low speed, slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated and smooth.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.  Icing can be made several hours ahead and kept covered and chilled.

Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting.

EnJoy.



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