Toss your shots into cupcakes for a tasty celebration

Whether you’re decked out in green or wearing a festive sombrero, there is a drink to go with… Whether you’re decked out in green or wearing a festive sombrero, there is a drink to go with every costume and occasion — and now, there are cupcakes to accompany them.

It’s been a recent trend for bakers to experiment with new and interesting ways to make cupcakes. And they’ve started making cupcakes that wouldn’t be appropriate at an 8-year-old’s birthday party. By infusing different alcoholic beverages into the cake batter and icing, cupcakes have become part of the adult-only sphere.

Virtually any type of alcohol can go into a cupcake, but some combine for a deliciously dizzying effect. The bubbly nature of champagne creates a light and pleasant taste, while tequila forms a sweet version of the ever-popular margarita cupcake.

For St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness, Irish whiskey and Baileys unite to make the Emerald Isle cupcake — a sweet twist on the liquor-and-beer combination, which also makes a popular drink. The ingredients are perfect for the Irish festivities.

Instead of mixing large amounts of alcohol for St. Patrick’s Day, the Emerald Isle cupcakes are a tamer way to begin the evening. It might mean a few extra calories — but those are calories of sheer deliciousness. With traditional Irish alcohol infused into chocolate and sugar, the cupcakes are rich. Like the drink, they are not for the faint at heart.

In May, the margarita cupcake offers a light taste, unlike the heavier Emerald Isle cupcakes. They are zesty and have a hint of tequila.

The champagne cupcakes have a bubbly flavor pleasing to the tongue. These cupcakes are good for twenty-first birthdays because of their interesting flavor and nice appearance.

The delicious mix between traditional cupcake ingredients and alcohol can add a new dimension to the holidays early in the year and become the one baked good that Grandma will not make in her kitchen.

Emerald Isle Cupcakes

Ingredients:

½ cup Guinness stout

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup cocoa powder

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoons salt

1 egg

1/3 cup sour cream

Filling:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon Irish whiskey

Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and fill the pan with cupcake liners.

Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer over medium heat, then add cocoa powder and stir until the mixture is smooth. Let it cool completely. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and sour cream. Once smooth, add the Guinness mixture. Begin to include the flour mixture until all ingredients are combined. Pour into cupcake liners and bake for 17 minutes.

While the cupcakes bake, start making the filling and icing. Heat the cream until it simmers.  Pour it over the chocolate in a bowl, letting it sit until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir them together until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey to the mixture, and stir until all the ingredients combine. Let the filling sit until the cupcakes cool. Use a small spoon to scrape out a circle in the center of the cupcake, and set the excess cupcake aside. Fill the hole with the whiskey mixture until it is flat with the rest of the cupcake.

For the frosting, whip the butter for five minutes, and then add the sugar slowly. Add the Baileys and continue to mix for another two to three minutes until the frosting is fluffy. Spread generously on top of the cupcake and filling.

Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

Lime juice to taste

3 tablespoons tequila

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup milk

Frosting:

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 ¾ cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons tequila

Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and fill the pan with cupcake liners.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, then set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for about five minutes, or until light. Add each egg to the mixture slowly, continuing to beat after each addition. Add the lime, vanilla extract and tequila until the entire mixture combines. Combine the mixture of dry ingredients slowly, and, once mixed, pour in the milk. Pour into the pan and bake for 25 minutes.

While the cupcakes bake, begin making the frosting. Whip the butter for about five minutes, then gradually add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Continue to mix. Add the lime juice, tequila and salt. Mix for a few minutes until the frosting is fluffy. Spread generously onto the cupcakes once they cool.

Champagne Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup + 2 tablespoons champagne

Champagne Frosting Ingredients:

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

6 tablespoons champagne

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and fill the pan with cupcake liners.

Whisk the milk and vinegar together and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Then add oil, sugar and vanilla extract to the milk and vinegar mixture, stir until well incorporated before adding the champagne. Next, mix in the dry ingredients until no lumps remain.

To add a twist to the cupcakes, add a little bit of red food coloring, which gives the allusion of pink champagne. Put the mixture in the liners and bake for 20-24 minutes.

While the cupcakes bake, begin to make the frosting. Mix together the shortening and the butter. Then add the sugar and champagne slowly while beating the mixture. Next, add the flour and cornstarch, and beat until the mixture is fluffy. Once the cupcakes finish baking and they are cool, spread icing generously onto cupcakes.