Guinness Cupcakes

Makes 12 large or 24 small cupcakes.

• 2C         Unbleached all purpose flour
• ½         C       Cocoa powder
• ¼         t         Salt
• 1 ½      t         Baking soda
• 1          C          Granulated sugar
• ½         C        Brown sugar
• ½         C        Unsalted softened butter
• 2          t           Vanilla extract
• 2                      Eggs
• ½         C        Sour cream
• 12        oz        Guinness Extra Draught (a little less than a full bottle)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them together.  Mix wet ingredients separately, without the beer, then mix together well with dry ingredients.  Slowly mix in Guinness until batter reaches desired consistency.
Grease or line cupcake pan with papers, and fill each with slightly less than ¼ cup of batter.

Bake on the middle rack for approximately 20 minutes. The tops of the cupcakes will dry out if placed on the top rack.

Bailey’s Frosting

• 8          oz        cream cheese, softened
• 4          oz        unsalted butter, softened
• 2          C         confectioner’s sugar
• 4–6      T         Bailey’s Irish Cream

Beat cream cheese and butter together, then slowly mix in the confectioner’s sugar, and continue beating until fluffy. Slowly drizzle Bailey’s into mixture until completely incorporated.