Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey's Cream Cheese Icing

With St. Paddy's Day just around the corner these Irish eyes are smiling!!!!  Why???.....Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey's Cream Cheese Icing.....mmmmm.....sooo yum!  They are only in the oven now but boy was I ever licking the spoon today; rich, chocolatey, deep and dark flavours just begged me to lick the spoon once or twice more! That was just the cake batter.  I've just finished making the icing while my wee cupcakes were a baking.  The original recipe from Nigela Lawson simply called for a cream cheese icing, but come on, how could dear Bailey's be left out of this one.  Top these cakes with the smooth, lusious, golden icing and you've got what looks like a wee pint of Guinness.  The best thing about this recipe is how quick and easy it is to make, plus you only need one pot!!  
I ended up making a half batch of the recipe, giving me 12 cupcakes,  I used some shamrock cupcake liners and decided to make little Guinness pints rather than one big cake.
I'm making another Guinness cake today and thought not to be too glutenous with a whole batch!!

The Verdict
The words of my soon to be hubby, who is a pie lover over cakes, said, "These are the best cupcakes I've ever eaten, I think I might have an orgasm.  Now here is a chocolate cake for grown ups."
The cake is so heavenly moist and tender with an intense chocolate flavour punctuated by the rich Guinness that leaves your mouth all tingly and wanting another!!!!!
This would be a great birthday cake for any chocolate loving adult.

Guinness and butter melting together

Cocoa and sugar, mix together to avoid lumps when added to the liquid

Okay, stop eating the batter, and get it in the pan pronto!

Original recipe taken from Nigela Lawson's cookbook Feasts.

 Chocolate Guinness Cake

250ml Guinness
250g butter
75g cocoa
400g caster sugar (regular white sugar)
142ml sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
275g plain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda


Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 23 cm springform pan, or 24 cupcakes.
Pour the guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter and melt.
Mix the cocoa and sugar together, add to melted butter.
Beat the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla together, then add to the cocoa butter mix.
Sift flour and baking soda together, add to wet ingredients.
Pour into prepared pan and bake until to springs back when touched.  For the cupcakes 20 minutes should do it, the larger springform pan should take about 45 minutes.
Cool completely before icing.

Bailey's Cream Cheese Icing


300g cream cheese, softened
150g icing sugar
125ml Bailey's or other Irish cream liqueur


(if you wish to omit the Irish cream, simply replace with whipping cream)


Beat the cream cheese until smooth, either by hand or in a mixer.  Add sifted icing sugar and mix to blend.  Add Bailey's and cream until smooth.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let set.

Ice the cooled cake or cupcakes and enjoy your pint today!!