Irish Coffee Cupcakes

For all of us that are a wee bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, I have created a cupcake of one of my favorite beverages, Irish Coffee. Chocolate Coffee Whiskey Cupcakes topped with Bailey’s Irish Whipped Cream Frosting.  A match made over the rainbow!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa, I recommend Ghiradeli’s 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon of Mexican vanilla

4 Tablespoons Whiskey, I recommend Jameson’s, plus more for brushing on top of cupcakes when they come out if the oven 

1/2 cup hot coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pan with cupcake liners. Mix dry ingredients  with whisk attachment.   In a separate bowl, combine egg, oil, buttermilk and vanilla.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add Whiskey. Slowly pour in hot coffee.  Fill cupcake tins and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven. While cupcakes are cooling, brush tops of cupcakes with whiskey. Cool completely before frosting. 

Bailey’s Irish Cream Whipped Cream Frosting:

1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, keep cold, not room temperature 

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 Tablespoons Bailey’s 

16 ounces of heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 – 3 cups powder sugar, taste for desired sweetness

Place mixing bowl and attachment in refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. Whisk cold cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and Bailey’s. Add whipping cream and beat to stiff peaks. Add powdered sugar. Pipe on to cupcakes.   Enjoy!