Irish Delight Cupcakes Recipe

What could be better than an ice-cold Guinness with a side of Jameson at the end of the day? Having an excuse to enjoy it in the middle of the day!! These cupcakes are a delightful blend of all the best Ireland has given us. A simple, creamy buttercream perfectly tops off the rich, chocolatey goodness of the cupcake coupled with the surprise gooey, boozy center. I mean, come on, who could want anything more?! I stumbled across a variation of this recipe several years ago and have tweaked it here and there ever since. This year I think I FINALLY nailed it, all thanks to our all-star Madagascar Vanilla! In my opinion, there isn’t a recipe out there that our world-class vanilla doesn’t elevate. These cupcakes are ones you definitely don’t want to send with your kids for the classroom party, but if you bring these to the office, you are sure to be the new favorite. While they are the perfect St. Patrick’s Day treat, don’t let that stop you from making these beauties any day of the year!

Irish Delight Cupcakes

This is the long form version of this recipe. You can find the simplified recipe card (printable version) further down on this page.

Irish Delight Cupcakes Ingredients

• 1 cup Guinness stout
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup sour cream
• 2 – Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans

Whiskey Ganache Filling Ingredients

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• ⅓  cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened 
• ⅓ cup Irish whiskey

Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

• 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Bean Extract

Instructions

Irish Delight Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line 2 cupcake pans with cupcakes liners (leprechaun approved)
2. Place the Guinness and butter in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
4. Take vanilla beans and slice down the middle vertically. Scrape out vanilla caviar and add to a medium bowl (discard empty pod shells). Add eggs and sour cream. Use an electric mixer to combine on medium speed.
5. 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 spatula, fold the batter until thoroughly combined.
6. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake about 17 minutes, rotating the pan halfway. Once the cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Whiskey Ganache Filling

1. Place the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl and set aside. Place the heavy cream and half of the whiskey in a small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat.
2. Immediately pour it over the chocolate, then let it sit for two minutes. Using a whisk, gently stir the mixture until smooth.
3. Add the butter and remaining whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped, about an hour. Note: I personally prefer to let mine set in the fridge overnight. In the morning, I pop it on the counter for a couple of hours until it is pliable. (If it is too stiff, simply give it a good whisk, and it will loosen up.)
4. To fill the cupcakes, poke the centers out of the cooled cupcakes using a wooden spoon or spatula handle. Place the ganache into a piping bag and fill the cupcake centers.

Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting

1. Using an electric mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for at least 5 minutes, scraping the sides occasionally. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated.
2. Add the Bailey’s and vanilla extract, then increase the speed to whip for another 2 to 3 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
3. Frost cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Enjoy!!!

Note: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Irish Delight Cupcakes with Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate cupcakes with a whiskey ganache filling topped with the sweet and creamy Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Cupcakes

Equipment

• 1 Oven
• 1 Fridge – Optional, to let filling cool
• 1 Small Sauce Pan
• 1 Whisk
• 1 Spatula
• 2 Medium Bowl
• 1 Electric Mixer
• 2 Cupcake/Muffin Baking Pan
• 12 Cupcake Liners – Recommend leprechaun approved patterns
• 1 Wire Cooling Rack – Optional
• 1 Piping Bag

Ingredients

  

Cupcake Batter

• 1 cup Guiness Stout
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter
• ¾ cup Cocoa Powder
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ¾ tsp Salt
• 2 Eggs
• ⅔ cup Sour Cream
• 2 Vanilla Beans (Suggest Grade A, Link in "Notes" Below)

Whiskey Ganache Filling

• 8 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
• ⅓ cup Heavy Cream
• 2 tbsp Butter (Softened)
• ⅓ cup Irish Whiskey

Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

• 2 cups Unsalted Butter (Softened)
• 5 cups Powdered Sugar
• 5 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream
• 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Extract (Suggest Madagascar, see in "Notes" below)

Instructions

 

Irish Delight Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners (leprechaun approved)
• Place the Guinness and butter in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• Take vanilla beans and slice down the middle vertically. Scrape out vanilla caviar and add to a medium bowl (discard empty pod shells). Add eggs and sour cream. Use an electric mixer to combine on medium speed.
• 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 spatula, fold the batter until thoroughly combined.
• Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake about 17 minutes, rotating the pan halfway. Once the cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Whiskey Ganache Filling

• Place the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl and set aside. Place the heavy cream and half of the whiskey 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 whisk, gently stir the mixture until smooth.
• Add the butter and remaining whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped, about an hour.
• To fill, poke the centers out of the cooled cupcakes using a wooden spoon or spatula handle. Place the ganache into a piping bag and fill the cupcake centers.

Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

• Using an electric mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for at least 5 minutes, scraping the sides occasionally. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated.
• Add the Bailey’s and vanilla extract, then increase the speed to whip for another 2 to 3 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
• Frost cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Enjoy!!!

Notes

You can buy our delicious Grade A Madagascar Vanilla Beans and our Traditional Madagascar Vanilla Bean Extract on our Lone Goose Bakery “Shop” page to guarantee the premium vanilla flavor.

Keyword Cupcakes, Frosting, Irish, Spring, St. Patrick’s Day