Guinness Cupcakes with a fluffy Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting “Head” |

Oh my. OH MY. These are so frigging tasty. I already loved the Guinness chocolate cake recipe, as evidenced in this really early post, but this light, fluffy, erethreal frosting brings them to a new level. They are not weighed down by sweetness. Oh man, so delicious. Guinness brings a deep, dark, stouty note to the chocolate cake, and the whipped cream and mascarpone frosting is rich and lightly sweet, avoiding the too-tangy zip of cream cheese frostings. The fluffy, cloud of frosting becomes on the rich Guinness cupcake.
These cupcakes are part in honour of the Olympics in London… but truly they are in honour of my wonderful friend, Caelin who horribly left me to live in London, yesterday. She loves her a pint of Guinness, and I love me some Caelin. I think these would’ve been more appropriate an honour had I baked them in time for her to have one, but she can eyeball them from across the pond and weep at all the mistakes she’s made (ie. leaving me). Anyway, the cupcakes are the same that I used before, just halved, though it still made 22 (I made them smaller this time).

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/5 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup room-temperature Guinness

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the rack in the middle, and prepare muffin tins by lining with papers.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Beat together butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one and at time, beating well. Beat in vanilla.
Add flour mixture and beer alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing until just combined.
Fill cups 2/3rds full and bake until the tops of the cupcakes are spongy to the touch, 18-20 minutes.
Cool on a rack for at least 30 mins until cool before frosting.
Feel free to eat one while still hot, sans frosting, these are DELICIOUS.

Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting

From justJENN.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine mascarpone cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir together until smooth, and set aside.
In a large bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream until combined.
Keep refrigerated, this isn’t a frosting to stay out overnight. That said, it keeps on the counter for a few hours if you are setting them out for people to munch on. Also, fold in some nuts and/or coconut for a funky, fun fruit/cookie dip!