Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes are made of Guinness cake, Jameson Whiskey chocolate ganache and Bailey’s buttercream frosting—the perfect St. Patrick’s Day dessert!
Note: The name of this cupcake is not meant to offensive, it was simply named after the cocktail containing Guinness, Jameson and Bailey’s.
What a lovely day for a Guinness, wouldn’t you say? Or perhaps Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes instead! Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day and everyone has already begun celebrating.
It seems like people will take any excuse to drink, even in the form of a cupcake!
Of all the cocktail cupcakes I’ve made, these are probably the most alcoholic. I mean, they are inspired by Irish Car Bombs. Last year I made these bad boys and people loved them.
From the Guinness infused chocolate cake, and Jameson Whiskey ganache filling, to the creamy Bailey’s frosting, these tasty little suckers are sure to pack a punch.
And, yes, some of the alcohol does bake off in the oven, but a fair amount remains. The buttercream frosting requires no heat so all the alcohol in the Irish cream is there to get you tipsy 😉
I have to say, the frosting is absolute perfection. I sometimes make this frosting just because my cake needs an extra kick of flavor. Bailey’s is a flavor in itself!
Each cupcake is filled with chocolate ganache spiked with Jameson Irish whiskey. The ganache floods your taste buds as soon as you bite into these cupcakes.
To create a small hole in the center of each cupcake, I used the end of a large, round frosting tip and discarded a bit of the cake. I filled the hole with the Jameson ganache and let it overflow onto the top of the cupcake for show.
And what would St. Patrick’s Day be without a Guinness? The stout beer adds some aroma to the chocolate cupcakes. I like serve the dessert with a Guinness to so I have something to wash down dessert!
Irish car bomb cupcakes are the best way to start off your St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans. Don’t forget… Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoy!
Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
Ingredients
Stout Cupcakes
- 1 cup stout beer, such as Guinness
- 2 sticks butter
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 2 cups flour
- 11/2 cups sugar
- 11/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
Whiskey Ganache
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 tsp Irish Whiskey, such as Jameson
Baileys Buttercream Frosting
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tbsp Irish Cream Liqueur, such as Bailey's
Instructions
Stout Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a pot or large saucepan, simmer the beer and butter on medium until butter is completely melted. Add cocoa powder and chocolate chips and stir until your mixture is smooth. Take off heat and set aside to cool.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together, sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir eggs and yogurt together until smooth. Slowly add the cooled chocolate mixture. Next, add flour mixture and stir until well combined.¹
- Scoop batter into prepared cupcake tin until cups are about 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on racks.
Whiskey Ganache
- In a large sauce pan, melt chocolate chips, cream, and butter on medium-low. Stir until smooth. Add your whiskey, stir, then remove from heat and set aside to let mixture cool/thicken.
- While your ganache is cooling, scoop a hole into the center of each cooled cupcake with a cupcake corer or spoon.² Fill holes to the brim with thickened ganache.
Baileys Buttercream Frosting
- In a bowl with a mixer, cream together butter, 4 tablespoons cream, and powdered sugar. If consistency is too thick, add more Irish cream one tablespoon at a time until piped consistency is reached.
- Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with desired tip³ and pipe it generously on top of each filled cupcake. Pour yourself a Guinness and enjoy!
Notes
- Before filling the cupcake tin, I like to give the batter a good stir with a rubber spatula. This is to get the bottom of the bowl, just to be sure all the ingredients got mixed together!
- Alternatively, you can skip coring the cupcakes and just spoon some ganache on top of the cupcake, then top with the frosting, up to you!
- I used a large star tip (Ateco 823 or Wilton 1M)
Guinness for the Cupcakes
Jameson for the Chocolate Ganache
Bailey’s Irish Cream for the Buttercream Frosting
Double egg yolk?! Must be the luck of the Irish…
Voila! Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
trucvert says
Love these!
Haley says
Thank you!
Patty Nguyen says
Lucky you to get a double egg yolk! Please pass me half a dozen of your cupcakes, Haley. They look scrumptious. 🙂
Haley says
Thanks, Patty! I was so excited to see that double yolk 🙂
chef mimi says
Terrible name, but great looking cupcakes! Love those ingredients!
whatjessicabakednext says
These look divine! 🙂
Haley says
Thanks hon!
Baking With Gab says
Yum, this looks amazing! I did a similar recipe in cake form, but I didn’t do the whiskey ganache – what a treat!
Haley says
Thank you! The ganache definitely added some extra chocolate flavor (and alcohol content!)
Jenny says
Silly question, are all of the chocolate chips used semisweet? Also, I LOVE your blog!! As a fellow blonde baker it has been a super fun find. 🙂
Haley says
Hi Jenny! Great question. Yes, I used semisweet for all the chocolate. Enjoy!
Brooke Morris says
Hi! I’m making 4 dozen cupcakes but half of them have to be without alcohol is it possible to use the same recipe and just not add the alcohol in it? Thank you these are amazing!!
Haley says
Hi Brooke! For the cupcakes, use a nonalcoholic beer (such as Bravus or Becks). For the ganache, omit the whiskey and increase the heavy cream to 3/4 cup. For the buttercream, try to find the Bailey’s coffee creamer (it’s nonalcoholic) or just use milk.
Julia says
Any advice on turning these into mini cupcakes??
Megan Warner says
I’m trying now. I’ll let you know how they turn out.
Emaline says
I wanted more alcohol in the ganache will this make it too thin?
Haley says
Hi Emaline – I wouldn’t add more than another teaspoon. If you add too much, try adding some cornstarch to thicken it up.
Sanha Guerrero says
Is it also unsalted butter for the cupcakes and the ganache? It might be obvious but I’m new to baking. Thank you for the recipe!!!
Haley says
Hi Sarah – Yes, unsalted butter for the cupcakes and ganache. Happy baking!
Sandy says
Have you tried making a cream cheese frosting with Irish cream?
Laura says
Made these a few times and they are always a big hit! I’m planning on making again soon for a party, how far in advanced can these be made? And once complete is it OK to leave at room temp or should it be refrigerated?
Jennifer says
What kind of cream, light or heavy ??
Haley says
Hi Jennifer – Heavy cream is used in this recipe
Aliana says
If I wanted to make this cupcake into a whoopie pie, how does that change the recipe?