... Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Frosting

When a recipe calls for these two things as main ingredients, you should be quick to find a reason to make said recipe.  Lucky for me, St. Patty's Day is right around the corner.  

Those little bottles above, accompanied by a little cream cheese and powdered sugar, make the most incredible frosting.  I actually wondered aloud to myself... to my dog... to myself (which is worse?) why you wouldn't make this frosting for anything and everything you'd want to frost?  Trust me.  I don't lie.

Those scrumptious little guys below may not be as cute as Gina's, but I can only believe that they're every bit as delicious.  Oh, did I mention that Gina is the brilliant mind behind the blog Skinny Taste?  Yep, you read that right... these cupcakes won't even make you feel guilty!  Now who's the lucky one?

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Frosting
serves 12

For the Bailey's Frosting:
5.5 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons Bailey's Irish Cream

For the cupcakes:
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup flour
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup stout
4 ounces unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
cooking spray

Combine all the frosting ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until smooth with an electric mixer.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cupcake tin with 12 liners and lightly spray liners with oil (to prevent sticking).

In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients : sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients (egg through canola oil) and beat until smooth.

With a mixer, slowly add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Pour into cupcake liners and bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Taylor's Notes:
The only switch up I made to this recipe was using vegetable oil instead of canola oil.  I'm sure it makes a difference in the nutritional value (although at only 1 1/2 tablespoons I can't imagine it's huge), but I couldn't tell that it made a bit of difference in the taste.  


I found the Double Chocolate Stout at my fave liquor store, but Gina mentioned she found her's at Trader Joes.  If you can't find it anywhere, I would bet that any dark stout would do.  I even saw a Mocha Stout at my store... mmm, coffee and Bailey's.  It just makes sense.  


Enjoy!