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Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe with Easy Whiskey Buttercream Frosting

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Moist and fudgy Guinness chocolate cupcakes topped with a creamy, boozy whiskey buttercream frosting. Perfect for celebrations or cozy nights in, this recipe combines rich chocolate with the malty flavor of Guinness and a smooth whiskey kick.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Guinness stout (room temperature)
  • ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • ¾ cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) sour cream, room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (can substitute with gluten-free flour blend)
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2–3 tablespoons whiskey (bourbon or Irish whiskey)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt (for frosting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and lightly grease them with butter or nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine Guinness stout and ¾ cup unsalted butter. Heat over medium heat until butter melts and mixture is hot but not boiling (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  4. In another bowl, whisk granulated sugar and eggs until smooth and slightly thickened (about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with mixer).
  5. Stir sour cream into sugar and eggs mixture. Slowly add the cooled Guinness-butter-cocoa mixture, stirring gently to combine.
  6. Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full (approximately ⅓ cup or 80 ml batter each). Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
  8. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. To make the whiskey buttercream, beat softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy (2-3 minutes). Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed to avoid sugar clouds.
  10. Add 2 tablespoons whiskey, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Taste and add more whiskey if desired, but avoid thinning the frosting too much.
  11. Frost cooled cupcakes generously using a piping bag or butter knife. Optionally, sprinkle with chocolate shavings or cocoa powder.

Notes

Bring eggs and sour cream to room temperature before mixing to prevent curdling. Fold dry ingredients gently to keep cupcakes tender. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting to avoid melting. If buttercream is too soft, chill for 10 minutes and re-whip. Use smooth, creamy butter and sift powdered sugar for best frosting texture. Adjust whiskey amount carefully to avoid thinning frosting.

Nutrition

Keywords: Guinness, chocolate cupcakes, whiskey buttercream, boozy frosting, St. Patrick's Day dessert, moist chocolate cake, easy cupcakes

Find it online: https://realityeats.com/guinness-chocolate-cupcakes-recipe-with-easy-whiskey-buttercream-frosting/