Irish Coffee Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting

Happy St Patrick’s Day!! Today I went to see the Book of Mormon at the Pantages Theater and it was awesome! I highly recommend it if you are up for a good laugh and are not easily offended.

Today’s cupcakes are Irish inspired of course. I made these with gluten free flour for some of the people in my office.

The gluten free cupcakes are not as rich and dense as normal cupcakes, but they still came out yummy. They didn’t rise as much either, so you have to add a bit more into the liners. I went a bit overboard on the Baileys in the frosting and added an extra tbsp… but you can change it to your own taste. Also, I got lazy on the decorating because Amazing Race was starting and I wanted to finish.

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Makes about 28 cupcakes

• 3 cups flour (or can substitute for gluten free flour)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2-4 tbsp of instant coffee or ground espresso beans (to your own taste)
• 2-4 tbsp of Irish whiskey (to your own taste)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a muffin tin with liners.

In a small bowl – Mix the water, coffee, and whiskey until well blended and let cool. Then add the yogurt.

In a medium bowl – Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a big bowl – beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.

Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the coffee/whiskey mix.

 

Place the batter in the liner. If you are using regular flour, fill the liner about 1/2 full. If you are using gluten free flour, fill the liners about 3/4 full. Bake for about 25 minutes, rotating about halfway through.  Pull them out when ready and let cool. Then decorate!

Baileys Frosting

From Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 (3 sticks) cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 lb (4 cups) confectioners sugar, sifted
• 3 tbsp Baileys (or as many as you want, to taste)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk the butter on a high speed for about 3 minutes to make it smooth. Drop to medium speed and add the sugar into the butter 1/2 cup at a time. After every few additions, whisk on high to aerate the frosting. Add the Baileys and vanilla. Mix.

Then decorate!