guinness and baileys and whiskey, oh my!

irish car bomb cupcakes

in case you were wondering what the end of a double rainbow looked like...

in the spirit of st. patrick's day, alcoholism, and kelly green belligerence,  i've created this decadent, boozy baked treat. i don't know about you, but given the options of boiled beef and cabbage or a moist, chocolate stout cupcake filled with whiskey ganache and topped with baileys cream cheese frosting, i'm all about the cupcake. 

not only are these cupcakes the perfect dessert for a st. patrick's day celebration, they are also incredibly EASY to make. you may or may not remember chasing your actual irish car bomb with several of these boozy babies, but that just means the calories don't count, right? happy st. paddy's day, friends!

chocolate stout cake ingredients:

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

12 oz (1 bottle) Guinness stout

1 stick softened butter

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

whiskey ganache* ingredients:

8 oz bittersweet chocolate

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp butter

4 shots irish whiskey

*you can omit the ganache from the cupcakes and still have a scrumptious guinness and bailey's-filled treat

baileys frosting ingredients:

5 tbsp heavy cream

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

5 shots of baileys irish creme (any flavor)

16 oz philadelphia cream cheese, softened at room temperature

chocolate stout cake directions:

preheat oven to 350F

in a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients

in a second bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients

combine dry and wet ingredients and mix thoroughly until batter is smooth

fill cupcake liners with ~2 tbsp of batter each and bake for 25 minutes

while cupcakes are baking, marvel at how easy this recipe was

whiskey ganache directions:

melt chocolate until smooth using a double boiler

add heavy cream, butter, and whiskey

continue to stir until well-combined

remove from heat and refrigerate until firm

when ganache has firmed, scoop out 1/2 tbsp from the top of each cupcake and fill with ganache

*if you have leftover ganache, you can drizzle it on top of the cream cheese frosting as shown in the picture

bailey's frosting directions:

using a hand mixer, combine and beat all ingredients together at medium speed until smooth

frost the cupcakes and keep refrigerated until ready to serve

i'm donuts for you

baked glazed donuts

from left, cinnamon sugar, chocolate with nutella glaze, and chocolate glazed

two. that's the number of inches of snow atlanta got on tuesday. two is also (arguably) the number of snow plows in metro atlanta as well as the number of atlantans that have ever driven in snow. finally, two is the number of days that these sweet rings of tender love lasted before being devoured by my friends in the midst of our little state of emergency.

Ice-75?

these baked donuts were absolutely scrumptious. AND easy to make. AND my condo didn't smell like a deep-fried nightmare (you're welcome, neighbors). making minor modifications to one batter and one glaze resulted in the three different types of donuts that i chose to make. 

the best part of waking up is...donuts in your cup

these mouthwatering beauties were rich but light, with just the right amount stretch. the buttermilk boasted an old-fashioned, country-style flavor as well as a tender yet sturdy texture. these donuts will put your self-control to the test. did i mention that my boyfriend ate two of them before dinner?...and then two more after? 

whether you eat one donut (or several) is a matter to discuss with your doctor. enjoy!

donut ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

note: to make chocolate batter, add 2 tbsp cocoa powder

glaze ingredients:
3 cups confectioner's sugar
6 tbsp water or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

note: to make nutella glaze, add 5 tbsp nutella
note: for cinnamon sugar donuts, reserve a small bowl with a mixture of 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon

directions:
preheat oven to 375 F
spray a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray
in a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt (add cocoa powder now if you want chocolate donuts)
in a separate mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and eggs
using a wooden spoon, mix the wet and dry ingredients until thoroughly combined 
spoon 2-2 1/2 tbsp of batter into each well of the donut pan
bake for 11-13 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the donut comes out clean
while donuts are baking, prepare glaze by  whisking together confectioner's sugar, water or milk, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until thickened and combined (add nutella now if you want nutella glaze)
allow donuts to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack
once the donuts are no longer hot, dip the top half of each donut into the glaze and allow glaze to set

note: if you want a cinnamon sugar donut, dip the donut into a mixture of 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon immediately after dipping the donut in glaze