Irish Coffee Cupcakes

For each holiday, I try to bring in a festive baked good for my coworkers (or "the troops" as I call them). This year I searching around for something easy and different then the same-old-Bailey's-and-cake or Irish Potato routine.  

When I stumbled upon this recipe, it was perfect because A. it was a cupcake (my favorite) B. it had whiskey (what is more Irish then whiskey?) and C. there was coffee involved (which is a necessity in my line of work).

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Ingredients

• For The Cupcakes

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons instant-espresso powder
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs

• For The Frosting

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon whiskey
  • Instant-espresso powder, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cupcakes: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour water over espresso powder; let cool. Combine espresso with milk. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with espresso-milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour (batter may look broken).
2. Fill 15 cups (of two 12-cup muffin tins) three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool; turn out cupcakes from tins.
3. Make the frosting: Whisk together cream and confectioners' sugar until medium peaks form. Add whiskey; whisk until slightly stiff peaks form.
4. Top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons frosting; dust with espresso powder.
5. Attempt to share.  Or keep them all for yourself.  Not that I plan on doing that (I totally want to)

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Always & Forever,

  ME