Moist Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 standard 12-cup muffin tin
- 12 paper cupcake liners
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 hand mixer or stand mixer optional but recommended
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
- 1 wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 180 milliliter Guinness stout beer
- 115 gram unsalted butter cubed
- 35 gram unsweetened cocoa powder
- 200 gram granulated sugar
- 60 gram light brown sugar packed
- 120 gram sour cream room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 gram all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 120 gram dark chocolate finely chopped
- 120 milliliter heavy cream
- 15 gram unsalted butter softened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the Guinness and butter and warm until the butter is completely melted, without letting the mixture boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and glossy, then let the mixture cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Slowly pour the slightly cooled Guinness mixture into the sour cream mixture, whisking constantly until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain, being careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let them cool completely for at least 25 minutes before topping.
- For the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it is steaming and just starting to simmer, then remove from heat.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream over it, letting it sit for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the butter to the bowl and whisk gently until the mixture is smooth, shiny, and fully combined.
- Let the ganache thicken at room temperature for 10–15 minutes, then spoon or pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
For best results, make sure your sour cream and egg are at room temperature to help the batter blend smoothly and create a tender crumb, and avoid overmixing once you add the flour so the cupcakes stay soft and moist. Let the Guinness mixture cool slightly before combining it with the egg mixture to prevent curdling, and always bake a test cupcake if you’re unsure of your oven’s accuracy, checking a minute or two early since dark batters can overbake quickly. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding ganache so it sets nicely instead of sliding off, and if you prefer a stronger stout flavor, you can brush the tops of the baked cupcakes with a teaspoon of Guinness before frosting for an extra hit of malty richness.
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