A St. Patrick's Day directive

So first of all, I said the other day on my facebook page that I would be giving you two St. Patrick's Day cupcakes.  I'm amending that right now; there will be only one.  Don't think I'm a slacker or anything, because I DID make two kinds of cupcakes that would be appropriate for the holiday, but when the two were put side by side, one of them was clearly better than the other.  Let's face it, with the number of cupcake possibilities out there, you've got to really bring it if you want to get noticed, and while good, Martha's Irish Coffee cupcakes from the March issue of MSL just didn't make the cut.

Also, I whipped the cream about three strokes too many, and instead of a billowy mound on top, it was more like blended cottage cheese.  Oops!

Now, I know next to nothing about Irish cultures and traditions.  Personally, I'm about as Irish as a box of Lucky Charms.  But if stereotypes can be trusted at all, the one thing I do know is that Irish people like their beer.

Enter the Stout Cupcakes.  Specifically, Guinness Stout Cupcakes.

These cupcakes aren't really all that much to look at.  In fact, I had a little trouble taking flattering pictures of them.  They're brown, the glaze is brownish, there's no lavish swirl of frosting or a fancy topper.  But what they lack in glamour they totally make up for in flavor.  They are moist and spicy, and the Guinness brings them a heft and earthiness that nothing else could.  Remember when I was speculating about whether there was such thing as a manly cupcake and I thought that this might be it?

They've totally been replaced.  If you make cupcakes for a guy, it has to be these.  

Now this was not the first time I've used Guinness in a cake recipe.  Nigella has a fabulous chocolate stout cake that I used as the base for my St. Patrick's Day cupcakes last year.  And honestly, I was a little surprised when I read this recipe and realized it contained no chocolate.  What it does have is molasses.  Lots of it.  And cinnamon.  And nutmeg.  And, of course, PLENTY of Guinness.  The glaze is nothing more than powdered sugar with enough Guinness to make it liquid.  Stout beer here is the flavor of the day, people.  No covering it up with chocolate.  Besides, chocolate is SO last month.

Every single person who had one of these raved about them, from a non-beer drinking neighbor to my 6 year old daughter.  An endorsement direct from her mouth, "Mommy, I LOOOOVE this frosting!  I could eat it all day loonng!"  Which I thought was amusing, considering the glaze is literally nothing more than sugar and BEER. (Go ahead, call CPS on me. Before they haul me away, I'll let my kids tell the social worker how their favorite Christmas cookies are Rum Balls.) 

Given their humble looks and ingredient list, it's sort of hard to imagine what the big deal is.  But you have to trust me on this.  If you do nothing else to celebrate St. Patrick's Day today, you should set aside one bottle of beer, break out your mixing bowls and throw these together.  They are dead easy to make, all you need is a whisk, really.  So you have no excuse.  None.  And you'll thank me for it later.

Oh, and because you're nice, and because I don't want my blog to get pinched for not wearing green, here's a picture of the Irish Whiskey cupcakes with the icky whipped cream.  

Stout Cupcakes

Makes 24

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350º

In a bowl, whisk together:

3 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp nutmeg

In an electric mixer on medium-low speed, or with a whisk and a strong arm, beat until combined:

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups unsulfured molasses

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp packed brown sugar

2 large whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp grated orange zest

1 1/4 cups (10 oz) Guinness, poured and settled

Gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined.

Fill paper-lined cups 3/4 full and bake about 20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.  Turn out to a wire rack to cool completely.  To finish, set on wire rack and drizzle Stout Glaze over tops.

Stout Glaze

Whisk together until combined:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup Guinness, poured and settled

Use immediately.