chocolate guinness cupcakes w/ salted caramel frosting & cream cheese frosting

How To Make chocolate guinness cupcakes w/ salted caramel frosting & cream cheese frosting

• 1

  Preheat the over to 350 F, and line muffin pan with baking-cup liners.
• 2

  Pour the Guinness into a LARGE wide saucepan, add the butter — in spoons or slices — and heat just until the butter's melted, turn off the heat and whisk in the cocoa and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and baking soda. Be sure to blend batter throughly making sure no floury lumps are left behind.
• 3

  Divide batter evenly into the lined muffin pan and bake approximately 18-20 minutes for cupcakes, 13-15 minutes for mini cupcakes (use mini cupcake liners). Leave to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. Please note these cupcakes are bit damp.
• 4

  When the cupcakes are cold, sit on a flat platter and get on with the frosting. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sift over the confectioner's sugar and then beat them both together. Or do this in a processor, putting the unsifted confectioners' sugar in first and blitz to remove lumps before adding the cheese.
• 5

  Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency. Ice the top of the each cupcake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.
• 6

  For the Salted Caramel Frosting: Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• 7

  Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• 8

  Combine butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.
• 9

  Turn mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add caramel. Beat frosting on medium-high speed until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until stiff, about 45 minutes, before using.
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