Guinness, Whiskey & Irish Cream Cupcakes
The classic cocktail shot transformed into cupcakes – Guinness chocolate cake, Jameson whiskey ganache filling, and Baileys buttercream frosting.
Please tell me that you’ve had the good fortune of tasting chocolate cake that’s been spiked with Guinness. If you haven’t, stop what you’re doing right now, go buy a six-pack of Guinness, grab some chocolate, and head to the kitchen.
The chocolate flavor is so deep and intense, almost malty, and the cake is just so incredibly moist – you’ll definitely want to start making these Guinness cupcakes all year long!
These cupcakes are the #1 all-time most popular recipe on the site, and for good reason. They are utterly spectacular. They are fashioned after the popular cocktail that consists of a shot of Baileys Irish Cream and Irish whiskey dropped into a pint of Guinness. I have never had one myself, but I’ve heard that if you can get it down before it curdles, it’s smooth, delicious and almost tastes like a milkshake.
I’ve never been into doing shots, so I’ll just eat a cupcake and call it a day. Cupcake trumps shots every day of the week for me!
To replicate the drink, I baked up Guinness chocolate cupcakes, filled them with a Jameson whiskey chocolate ganache, and topped them with a Baileys Irish Cream-spiked version of my favorite vanilla buttercream frosting.
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While there are a few steps to these cupcakes, they really are simple to bake and assemble. Once the cupcakes are cool, I cut out the centers (and nibbled on the scraps, shhhh), scooped in ganache, and then topped them with lofty swirls of the Baileys buttercream frosting.
I waited for my ganache to thicken before scooping it into the cupcakes, but I think you could fill them when it’s still pretty soft, as it should then firm up inside of the cupcakes.
While you can’t taste the beer in the cupcakes (it serves as a flavor enhancer for the chocolate), you can definitely taste the alcohol in the filling and the frosting. Everyone that I’ve ever made these for absolutely adores them and can’t get over how fantastic they taste. They are truly the trifecta of boozy Irish cupcakes!
Whether you’re throwing a St. Patrick’s Day party, or just need an excuse for some really amazingly delicious boozy cupcakes, look no further! These are guaranteed to be a hit wherever you take them.
Six years ago: Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake
Seven years ago: Asiago Bagels
Eight years ago: Baked Oatmeal
Nine years ago: Royal Crown’s Tortano
Guinness, Whiskey & Irish Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 cup (230 ml) Guinness stout
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (64.5 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoons (0.75 teaspoons) salt
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup (153.33 ml) sour cream
For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ⅔ cup (158.67 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey
For the Baileys Frosting:
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream
Instructions
- Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two standard muffin tins with liners.
- Place the Guinness and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat just until it starts to come together, about 30 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Whiskey Ganache Filling: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Immediately pour it over the chocolate, then let it sit for two minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the mixture from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped, about 30 minutes. (If it becomes too stiff, simply give it a good whisk and it will loosen up.)
- Fill the Cupcakes: Using a paring knife, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, divide the prepared ganache between the centers of the cupcakes.
- Make the Baileys Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.
- Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Best cupcake recipe ever. I’ve made these 3 times now and they come out perfect every time and people can’t get enough of them. They take more time than a normal cupcake but are totally worth it. Thanks for sharing!
I’m sitting here trying to figure out if I could do these with a chocolate cake mix (maybe substitute the Guiness for the water, and the sour cream can substitute for the oil? Has anyone by chance tried doing this?
Hi Michelle,
I was thinking about amending the recipe to Orange flavoring. and i wanted to know if i could subsitue the guinness for Orange juice. Is it possible? I know that the guinness bring out the chocolate floavor, but i wondering about the liquid content of the recipe if i subsitute. I’m think i’m going to do triple sec for the ganache.
Hi Sabrina, I haven’t tried making that substitution, but I think it should be okay. Let me know how they turn out!
Hi Michelle, So I know I’m little late on the reply for this but I wanted to let you know how it turned out. I used 1/2cup of OJ and 1/2 Cup heavy cream. I feared that it would be too liquidly with just oj since guniess is a heavier beer and then added a little bit of zest as well. I made a layered cake with a ganache and did it with grand mariner, and did your ultimate chocolate buttercream. The cake was really good. I have been craving sweets again and my husband has a pot luck so I’m going to try it in cupcake form tonight. Thank you for all you do I enjoy trying out and tasting all your recipes especially the sweets. Congrats on your new bundle of joy!
I’m going to be sharing these cupcakes with my class in Autumn wrappers just because lol. The photos look gorgeous, and that buttercream is divine.
I have made theses several time. They are always a huge hit with people. Oh my Gosh, these are awesome!!!!! Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks! These were a BIG hit when I made them.
These look lovely but can you imagine the reaction if I posted a recipe for an Exploding Twin Towers Cake?
We’re not talking about ancient history; the year year before the Twin Towers attack, the Real IRA carried out a series of bombings, including a car bomb in London. On top of that are the all the car bombing in Ireland itself.
The bomb campaign wasn’t a joke and it’s not an amusing name; it’s a sick name.
Just made these for my friend’s birthday today. They turned out incredible! I wish I had some fancy piping tips/decorating tips-just used a freezer bag with the corner clipped off and they still look pretty. So SO amazing! Thanks for the great recipe!
Hello,
We just found your recipe and tried it and it was delicious !! Also, we have a french website about Ireland, where we also talk about irish recipes. We would be very delighted if you give us the authorization to translate your recipe in french and publish it in our website. By specifying that all the credit belong to you, and puting a link leading to your website.
Don’t hesitate to tell us your answer and have a nice day with a lot of new ideas !
Nabiha
I made this last weekend (substituting Irish Mist for Jameson) and they were unbelievable. I worried that they would be too sweet but the various flavors ended up complementing each other beautifully. The ganache especially was to die for!
I’ve been using this recipe for a few years now (I made the change of using Trader Joe’s bittersweet chocolate- the pound plus one in the red wrapper) and this is easily one of the most requested and beloved of all the goodies that I bake. Everyone loves them! They are light, fluffy, moist and not too sweet! Well, the cupcakes themselves, at least. That frosting is a sweetly delicious heart attack waiting to happen! I LOVE this recipe. I’ve written it down in my keep forever recipe book.
First things first, amazing website and great recipes. Then, a confession: I have never really made cupcakes but have baked at least half a dozen batches of muffins over the past few months. I have ordered a bunch of baking supplies. I was looking a t a lot of recipes, your chocolate cupcakes recipe looks and sounds decadent. So, I decided to go with that (https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2013/08/19/best-chocolate-cupcakes-recipe/) but for ganache filling and frosting, I think this Irish bomb recipe is more exciting, I am baking for a fun brunch with a dozen other people day after tomorrow. I just thought this would be better for the occasion. What do you think of combining two of your recipes like this? Also, I plan to substitute whiskey for baileys in ganache also. Does that sound ok? Thanks a ton :)
I made these today as a test taste to see if I should make them again for my friend Courtney’s birthday… They are AMAZING! I was so impressed, that I took some to work on my day off just to share them with my co-workers, and I’ll be taking more in tomorrow! They are so rich, and the flavors blend perfectly. I’ve always been a fan of the car-bomb, and this is definitely going to be a new staple for parties!
Hi! I would like to make this recipe as a three-layer cake for my husband’s birthday party as he is part Irish, do you think the amounts listed here would translate or do I need to increase the ingredient measurements?
Hi Heather, This recipe would work for two cake layers, but it would not be enough for three; you’ll need to increase the quantities.
These cupcakes are AMAZING! I’ve made them several times for a bunch of parties and everyone always loves them. I don’t usually like chocolate cupcakes, but these are my favorite, by far. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve made a number of cupcakes on this site, and this is by far my husband’s favorite. The only tweak is I double the amount of whiskey in the ganache (I recommend Rowan’s Creek bourbon—it has a delicious vanilla flavor) because I like a boozier cupcake.
Also, the Bailey’s frosting is absolutely divine.
Is it possible to use same batter to make a whole cake instead of cupcakes? Is there a change in cooking time?
Hi Rita, I have not done so, but other readers have mentioned that they have done this. You will need to increase the baking time, but I couldn’t say by exactly how much.
do i use 1 egg if i’m making 1/2 dozen cupcakes?
Yep!
Did you use unsweetened cocoa powder or sweetened?
Hi Shannice, Always unsweetened.
I’m making these now and my Guinness/butter/chocolate mixture has separated. Any suggestions? Can I use it he way it is?
Hi Sabrina, I would keep going, it should come together.
Made these for St. Pat’s Day this year and got rave reviews. One of my fav cupcakes of all time! Only prob I encountered was the ganache set up quite firm the following day (made them Sunday, took to work Monday) Is there anything I can do to keep it softer for a day or two? Butter? Corn syrup? More whiskey?? :D The ones my husband and I “test drove” on the Sunday were beautiful and soft. I want to make a batch this week to share with my neighbours who so kindly blew out our driveway several times during this brutal winter. Thanks for any advise… and the fantastic recipe! (Going to use the other half of the beer in the can to try your Guinness ice cream next)
Hi Jackie, It really shouldn’t harden once inside the cupcake. You can use more heavy cream to keep it a creamier consistency.
Thank you, Michelle, for such a quick response to my question! I made the cupcakes last week and increased the heavy cream a little… it improved the softness but still firmer than I’d like… which is still great… because now I know the fix and just have to keep increasing a little each time til I find perfect ganache. Such a shame I have to experiment ;) And of course – the neighbours loved them. Thanks again. :)
Take them to the wrong work place and call them Irish car bombs and you will lose your job. Also… it is Paddy, not Patty. If you are going to appropriate someone else’s culture the least you can do is get it right.
She abbreviated St. Patrick’s Day. It wouldn’t be “St. Pad’s Day”
These are great! I lightly brushed the top of the cupcakes with a mixture of the beer and whiskey before I put the frosting on for that umph! Turned out great!
Thank you!
I made these for the guys at work. Rave reviews! Now, most people think firemen will eat just about anything, and in some cases that’s true; however, my crew are pretty discerning, and generally not much for sweets.
After tasting these amazing cupcakes, and taking some home to their families, I had two of the guys asking me for the recipe so they could bake them for their families. I’ve made a couple of other BEB cupcake recipes since, but this is the favorite for all of us. I keep getting asked when I’m going to make them again!
Thank you for giving us a new favorite dessert!
Just made these for a bridal shower that I hosted at a brewery. I made an Irish themed dessert table and these were very popular! Thank you for this great recipe!
I made these this past St. Paddy’s day. It was the first time I ever made cupcakes from scratch. It was not that difficult. They were delicious! This recipe is a keeper for sure!
I plan on making these cupcakes for Sunday (today’s Friday) how long would I be safe for making them ahead of time? I don’t want them to go bad before Sunday. Thanks in advance!!
So delicious! The frosting made me almost weep with joy it was so wonderful.
I made these for the office yesterday. Wow! This is recipe is a keeper. The only snag was I didn’t have unsalted butter so the icing had a little salty and sweet taste, which was probably not a bad thing now that I think about it. Seriously though, fantastic!
These were sooo good! I would recommend cutting the frosting recipe in half (unless you like tons of frosting). I halved that part of the recipe and still had plenty of creamy deliciousness to pile high on top of each little cake. I’d also recommend cutting back the ganache recipe. I don’t think I used even half the ganache this recipe yielded. But then again, who doesn’t like leftover ganache? :)
I made these for the second time on Sunday (I made them last year for St. Paddy’s ,too.) Here are a few tips that I think might improve the recipe/make it more informative:
1) If you’re buying nips for the Bailey’s and Jameson, you only need one nip of Jameson and two of Bailey’s.
2) It might be a good idea to tell people that they can use semi-sweet chocolate chips for the ganache. I had a hard time finding anything else.
3) For the cocoa powder, a good tip is to advise people to spend up on it. Buying cheap cocoa powder actually has a pretty big impact on the flavor of the cake. The more expensive brands are leaps and bounds above the store brands, especially if one has access to Ghirardelli’s.
4) Make the distinction between Heavy Cream/Whipping Cream and Confectioners Sugar/Powdered sugar. Heavy cream and whipping cream are two different things, and the distinction is important, but not imperative, because I know some stores don’t even sell heavy cream anymore. However, confections sugar and powdered sugar are the same thing, but they can be called one or the other depending on the store or brand.
5) For the butter, I’d recommend saying how many sticks one needs, over cups. If you buy a box of four sticks, it doesn’t say on the box how many cups it is. An experienced baker will know that two sticks is one cup, but not everyone will. I’d also recommend telling people to leave their butter out the night before, or that morning, so it’s soft enough to whip the butter cream. It’s really hard to work with buttercream if the butter isn’t room temp.