Mocha Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I bring you a cupcake inspired by the tastes of Ireland...or at least the tastes of Bailey's Irish Cream. The cupcakes combine the rich flavors of chocolate and coffee with the creaminess of Baileys. They're the perfect ending to your adult celebration. 

Pretty maids all in a row. 

As you can see, the frosting doesn't hold up well, so it's not good for piping, but I promise it's perfect for eating!

I'm also trying my hand at cooking corned beef for the first time tomorrow. I decided to go with this ridiculously simple recipe on allrecipes.com. If the luck of the Irish is with me, I'll be coming home to tender, slow cooked corned beef tomorrow night! Anyway, more on that later. For now, cupcakes! Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Mocha Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting

Recipe adapted from Jolts and Jollies

Yield: About 20 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

6 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 sticks butter

1 cup coffee

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in buttermilk. 

3. In a small saucepan, melt butter and cocoa together over low heat. When smooth, whisk in coffee.

4. In a mixer, sift together flour, sugar, and salt. 

5. Add cocoa mixture and egg, mix at low speed until combined. 

6. Add Add buttermilk mixture and vanilla. Mix until well combined. 

7. Pour batter into muffin cups (batter will be very thin) and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. 

For the frosting:

6 Tablespoons butter

3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons milk

1 Tablespoon instant cappuccino powder

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, cream butter with other liquid ingredients. Add powdered sugar until you reach desired consistency. Spread on completely cooled cupcakes.