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Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Lucy
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 15 cupcakes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Irish-American

Description

Delight in the rich and decadent Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes, featuring moist Irish stout cupcakes filled with luscious Irish whiskey caramel mousse and topped with a festive Bailey’s whipped buttercream that mimics the iconic flavor combination in a creative cupcake form perfect for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

Irish Stout Cupcakes

  • 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon espresso powder
  • 6 ounces stout beer, room temperature
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup sour cream

Irish Whiskey Caramel Mousse Filling

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup heavy cream, heated
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey
  • ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream, cold

Bailey’s Whipped Buttercream

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup Irish Cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • Red & yellow food coloring

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two standard cupcake trays with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and espresso powder until combined; set aside.
  3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the stout beer, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla bean paste, eggs, and sour cream, beating until thoroughly blended.
  4. Incorporate Dry Mixture: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in thirds, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
  5. Bake Cupcakes: Fill each cupcake liner approximately two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool Cupcakes: Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Prepare Caramel Base: In a microwave-safe measuring cup or glass bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light corn syrup, water, and lemon juice until combined.
  8. Cook Caramel: Microwave the mixture on high for 8 minutes until it turns a pale golden color—be careful not to burn.
  9. Rest Caramel: Remove from microwave and let sit for 3–5 minutes until it turns a deep amber color.
  10. Add Cream to Caramel: Stir in a tablespoon of heated heavy cream immediately to avoid overflow, whisking constantly. Slowly add the remaining cream in small amounts until fully incorporated.
  11. Finish Caramel Sauce: Stir in vanilla extract, softened butter, and Irish whiskey until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool but still stirrable, about 1 hour.
  12. Whip Cream: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form.
  13. Fold Mousse: Gently fold the whipped cream into the caramel sauce in three additions to create the mousse filling.
  14. Core Cupcakes: Using a sharp-tipped knife, cut a cone-shaped hole halfway into each cupcake without piercing the sides or bottom.
  15. Fill Cupcakes: Spoon the caramel mousse into a pastry bag and fill each cupcake cavity generously.
  16. Make Buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes until creamy and smooth.
  17. Incorporate Powdered Sugar: On low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until fully combined.
  18. Add Flavors: Mix in Irish Cream, vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of kosher salt, then beat until the icing is fluffy.
  19. Color Buttercream: Divide the frosting into three small bowls. Leave one bowl white, add yellow food coloring to the second, and a mix of red and yellow food coloring to the third bowl to create an orange shade. Mix until desired colors are achieved.
  20. Decorate Cupcakes: Fill piping bags with each colored buttercream. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes in a candy corn pattern starting with yellow, followed by orange, and topped with white.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients where specified to ensure smooth batter and cream.
  • When cooking caramel, watch closely to prevent burning and follow timing carefully.
  • If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, use high-quality vanilla extract as a substitute.
  • To make cleanup easier, line cupcake trays with sturdy liners.
  • For best flavor, allow cupcakes to cool completely before filling and frosting.
  • Store cupcakes refrigerated due to the cream cheese buttercream and mousse filling.
  • Allow refrigerated cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving for optimal taste and texture.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cupcake
  • Calories: 350 kcal
  • Sugar: 32 g
  • Sodium: 150 mg
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated Fat: 8 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 43 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Cholesterol: 55 mg

Find it online: https://cooksbylucy.com/irish-car-bomb-cupcakes-recipe/