St Patties Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Minted Swiss Meringue Buttercream

I have an Irish name, I have green eyes, I had a grandfather named Eric, I enjoy a crack & the occasional jig but I do NOT, alas have the luck of the Irish.

I have ripped open skirts during important job interviews, opened my wallet to pay for ice cream & had a bird poop in my coin purse, missed planes, been bitten by a seagull when feeding it chips,  cut my hand open on a peice of dry pasta, been unlucky in love, even wet myself as a grown adult. Those last 2 are unrelated instances…promise! No I do not have the luck of the Irish.

My minted Swiss buttercream even melted a bit, because as luck would have it..it is stinking hot today.

You don’t need to be too lucky with these cupcakes though, I have to admit in a rush I made them with cold eggs (which I obviously don’t reccomend) & didn’t sift but they are light, moist & spongy with a slight bitter Guinness aftertaste. The minted Swiss buttercream gives it the little extra sweetness it needs & adds the vital touch of St Patrick’s green with a sprinkling of peppermint crisp candy.

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Minted Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients:

(Cupcakes, adapted from the nook&pantry)

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup good quality cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 1 12 fl. oz. bottle/1 1/2 C Guinness or stout beer
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

(Minted Swiss Meringue Buttercream, adapted from Martha Stewart’s recipe)

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 5 large egg whites
• 2cups unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 Peppermint crisp bar chopped finely to garnish (if you can’t get peppermint crisp, use any hard green mint)

Method:

1. Make the buttercream first by  placing sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
2. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don’t worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla & mint extract, and beat just until combined.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. Refrigerate until needed.
5. Preheat the oven to 180c/350f
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
7. Add one egg and beat until evenly mixed and fluffy, make sure to scrape down the mixer bowl once in a while. Add the second egg and vanilla extract and beat again until light and fluffy.
8. Add the sour cream and beat in, then with the mixer running, slowly pour in the Guinness.
9. Sift the dry ingredients into the batter and slowly stir the batter until it is evenly mixed and there are no streaks of flour. Make sure to stop the mixer frequently to scrape down the sides and make sure to mix up any flour pockets hidden on the bottom of the bowl
10. Divide batter between 2 lined muffin trays, you probably won’t get the full 24 (I got 18)
11. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out nearly clean with a couple of moist crumbs clinging. Set on a rack to cool to room temperature before frosting.
12. Frost cupcakes once completely cooled & garish with a generous sprinkle of peppermint crisp pieces.

Makes 18 cupcakes & way too much buttercream. (it keeps in the fridge for about 3 days though)

Happy ST Patricks Day everyone!