Guinness Cupcakes

Recently I've been seeing a lot of recipes for beer cupcakes or beer cakes, which I initially thought would be gross. How could beer make cake better? Well, I've figured out if you use a dark stout, like Guinness (one of my favorites...), it actually makes them more moist and cuts back on the intense sweetness that cupcakes normally have. I think this will be my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe from now on...yum.

And, to top it off - delicious vanilla bean cream cheese frosting. 

Guinness Cupcakes

adapted from here and here

2 eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup sour cream

6 Tbs. butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

6 oz. Guinness

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tbs. butter, at room temperature

seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake papers and spray with nonstick baking spray. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sour cream together until well combined. Add Guinness and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Continue mixing, adding about 1/3 of the dry mixture at a time. When combined and smooth, add the melted butter and mix well. Fill the cupcake papers approximately 3/4 full and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a separate bowl if you want to use a hand mixer), add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla bean seeds. Mix well on medium speed. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until the mixture is completely combined and smooth. Use immediately.