Chocolate-Stout Cupcakes topped w/Vanilla Bean Buttercream

June 8, 2021 

Beer and cupcakes? Yes! While you can enjoy them separately, I much prefer combing the two (stout is too bitter for my taste) as they balance each other off beautifully.

This Chocolate-Stout Cupcakes topped with Vanilla Bean Buttercream is a bold flavorsome dessert with a soft, moist middle, topped with a luxurious, velvety cream. Easy to bake and make, this boozy cupcake is ideal for St. Patrick’s Day or other adult-only parties.

Baking With Stout Beer

Stout beer has a rich, malty flavor that complements well robust meats as well as chocolate-based desserts.

The undernotes of chocolate and coffee of the stout enhance the flavors of the baked dessert, while also bringing its own sharp, tangy overtones.

Keep in mind to add a bit of sweetness when using stout, even in savory recipes, as stout can get quite bitter. Baking your cupcake with stout will make the dough moist and dense.

There are many different varieties of stout beer, but they are mainly classified as dark, top-fermented beer. You can use almost any type of stout you like, such as milk stout and Guinness. Just make sure that when you pick out your beer it says stout on the label.

How Much Alcohol Will My Cupcakes Have?

While there will be some alcohol left in your stout-laced cupcake, the amount depends on your baking time. The longer you bake it, the less alcohol it will have. But don’t worry; you won’t get anyone drunk with a few Chocolate-Stout Cupcakes. Still, we do not recommend serving your kids these cupcakes if you are going to add the Irish cream in the buttercream, as the alcohol will be uncooked (therefore stronger).

Vanilla Bean Substitute

Maybe you don’t have a vanilla bean for your buttercream, but don’t worry, you can easily swap it for a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Can I Use Cake Mix?

If you want to speed things up, you can just opt for the pre-made chocolate cake mix of your choice. Muffin and cupcake mix will also work just fine.

How To Create That Swirled Topping

Don’t be intimidated by the frosting. You too can create the swirled professional look by using a big frosting star tip on your piping bag to create that pro-baker decoration.

But if you are more into the taste than décor, you can just use a butter knife to slather your frosting on top of your cupcake.

If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also use a resealable plastic bag where you’ve snipped the tip off the bottom corner.

Can I Make A Vegan Version?

Of course! By just substituting a few ingredients, you can have a tasty vegan version of our chocolate-stout cupcakes topped with a vanilla bean buttercream recipe.

Instead of butter, you can use vegan butter, dairy-free yogurt, applesauce, coconut oil, coconut butter, nut butter, olive oil, and even mashed banana or mashed avocado (keep in mind that the avocado taste will be rather hard to pair with other ingredients.).

The egg can be substituted by using ground flaxseeds (the gelatin they produce acts as a great binder and has almost no taste) or a mix of potato and tapioca starch.

Instead of the milk for the buttercream, you can choose from a wide variety of vegan milk, such as almond, coconut, or soy.

Can I Store Them For Later?

You certainly can.  In a covered container, your cupcakes can stay in the refrigerator for up to three days. They can even be kept in the freezer for up to a few months, but they will probably lose some of their moisture and flavor.

Ingredients

For The Cake:

  • 2 cup stout (Guinness)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 8 oz. cubes of butter
  • 3/4 cups sifted unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cups sour cream

For The Buttercream:

  • 2 cups (16 oz.) butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean without the pulp
  • 4 tablespoons milk

*Optional

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Irish cream

 

Instructions

For The Cake:

  • Heat your oven to 350F.
  • Take out your muffin pan and put in the molds your paper baking cups.
  • Melt your butter in a deep-bottom saucepan and add in your stout beer. Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat.
  • Take the pan off the heat and add the cocoa powder to your liquid and whisk until blended.
  • Add your flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and mix them together.
  • Whisk or use a mixer to beat your eggs and sour cream in a bowl. Slowly incorporate the chocolate mixture.
  • Now take your wet ingredients and mix them slowly with your dry ingredients using a spatula.
  • Divide and pour your batter into the cupcake liners.
  • If you are baking mini cupcakes, leave them in the oven for 12-15 minutes, and for regular-sized cupcakes, leave them for 16-20 minutes.
  • To test if your batter is baked to perfection, insert a toothpick in the center of your cupcake and check if the toothpick comes out clean.
  • Take out your cupcakes and let them cool for 10 minutes or so.
  • Remove the cupcakes from the pan and place them on plates or cooling racks. Wait for about 30 minutes to cool completely before you start icing them.

For the Butter Cream:

  • Take your room temperature butter and mix it for a few minutes until it reaches a very creamy consistency.
  • Cut the vanilla bean down the center and remove the seeds from the bean pod.
  • Mix your vanilla beans with your creamed butter.
  • Slowly incorporate the sifted powdered sugar into your cream mixture, 1 cup at a time until you get a thick consistency.
  • Add your milk. If you prefer a thicker buttercream, use less milk.
  • At this stage, you can add your Irish cream if you want to give your frosting that extra kick.
  • Using a pastry tip or a spatula, start frosting your cupcakes.
  • You can make them more festive by adding some food coloring, sprinkles, or funky-shaped candy or jellies.

Now dig into your Chocolate-Stout Cupcakes topped with Vanilla Bean Buttercream!

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