The Secret Ingredient in Our St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes Is Irish Stout Beer

Cupcakes are one of our favorite desserts for celebrating, and St. Patrick's Day is no exception. These crowd-pleasing St. Patrick's Day cupcakes are rich, chocolatey, and topped with a fluffy white-chocolate mint frosting. For the host, making cupcakes is a win because dessert is already portioned out and everyone can help themselves. That leaves you time for other things—whether that's making coffee to go with the cupcakes, or simply sitting down and enjoying one.

There's a secret ingredient to these cupcakes—Irish stout beer. It's a beloved beverage, especially on St. Patrick's Day, but you might be surprised to learn that the dark, malty brew is no stranger to the baking world. Its rich, roasted flavor makes it an excellent addition to many recipes. Because Irish stout already has aromas of familiar types of dark roasts—like coffee and chocolate—it pairs well with many sweet treats—so we suggest you celebrate St. Patrick's Day by baking with beer.

Irish Stout Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Mint White Chocolate Ganache

Yield: Makes 24 cupcakes

For the Mint White Chocolate Ganache

• 16 oz white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, stemmed and chopped
• Pinch of salt

For the Chocolate Stout Cake

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups Irish stout beer
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

The ganache will need time to chill before it can be whipped and applied to the cupcakes as frosting, so to save time, it's best to prepare it first. Then, make the cupcakes while the ganache is chilling and prepare the frosting, using the chilled ganache, while the cupcakes are cooling.

1. Prepare the Ganache: Place the chopped white chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl; set aside. Combine the heavy cream and chopped mint in a medium saucepan. Bring just to a boil, then remove from heat and cover and let the mint leaves steep for five minutes.

2. Pour the cream through a fine mesh strainer onto the white chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, press the mint leaves against the strainer to squeeze out any excess cream. Then discard the mint. Add a pinch of salt and let the chocolate/cream mixture sit for five minutes, then using a whisk, stir rapidly until smooth and fully incorporated. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator until chilled, about one hour.

3. Prepare the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl; set aside. Combine the stout, coffee, and vanilla extract in a large bowl; set aside.

4. Place butter and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer beating on medium speed until fully combined, about one minute. Add the eggs and continue beating to incorporate. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the stout mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Scrape both the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate any excess flour or cocoa, and continue mixing until batter is smooth.

5. Scoop batter into parchment-lined muffin tins, filling each ¾ full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.

6. Prepare the Frosting and Frost the Cupcakes: Transfer the chilled ganache to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until soft peaks form, about one to two minutes (whip time will vary based on mixer type––be careful not to overwhip the ganache, as it will turn grainy and start to separate). Transfer the whipped ganache to a piping bag fitted with a medium-size star pastry tip and pipe on each cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles.

Make them a day ahead and store your St. Patrick's Day cupcakes in an airtight container until ready to serve.