Shamrock Shake Cupcakes w/ White Chocolate Frosting

Top of the morning...errr...afternoon to you.

St. Patrick's Day.  The only day you can get away with looking like a little green man looking for that pot of gold.  It's also another excuse to get drunk, because, you know, apparently all the Irish do is drink and fight.

For me, it's an excuse to bake.

I love McDonald's Shamrock Milkshakes.  It might be the novelty of being available for a couple of weeks a year, but I always look forward to February because I know they'll start being offered.  And then April hits, and the shakes go away.  I know there's copycat recipes floating around that I have yet to try.  Until then, McD's Shamrock Shakes will have a place in my heart.

So when I saw a recipe for Shamrock Shake Cupcakes from Better Homes and Garden, I stopped what I was doing, immediately printed off the recipe, and checked my pantry.  Unfortunately, I didn't have some of the ingredients on hand, so I had to wait til I did my grocery shopping, which was only the next day.

The cupcake itself wasn't too sweet and had a slight mint flavor (I don't think I added enough).  The white chocolate buttercream frosting was sweet so it balanced with the cupcake.  Overall, pretty good I must say.  The recipe calls for Creme de Menthe, but I didn't feel like buying it just for the little bit I needed, so I used milk, mint extract and green food coloring.  I also cut the recipe in half since I didn't want 20 cupcakes.

Shamrock Shake Cupcakes w/ White Chocolate Frosting
from Recipe.com (Better Homes and Garden recipe)

Ingredients:
Remember, cut this in half if you don't want 20 cupcakes
Cupcakes
4 egg whites
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
1/4 c green creme de menthe <-- Since I cut the recipe in half and didn't have this on hand, I used 4 tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp mint extract (I'd recommend adding more) and green food coloring til I got a deep green color.
1/2 c shortening
1 3/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
green food coloring

White Chocolate Frosting
2 sticks softened butter
6 oz white baking chocolate with cocoa butter <--- This is important.  Look at the ingredients.  The consistency won't come out right if it doesn't have cocoa butter.  I used Bakers chocolate.
1/3 c whipping cream
powdered sugar
green food coloring

-Allow the egg whites to stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  In a glass bowl, combine the buttermilk and creme de menthe.
-Preheat the oven to 350.  In another bowl, beat the shortening for about 30 seconds.  Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla.  Add the egg whites and beat well.  Alternately add the flour mix and the buttermilk mix, a little each time, and beating until everything is just combined.
-Spoon the batter into cupcake liners, about two thirds full.
-Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.  Cool the cupcakes completely on wire racks.
-Melt the white chocolate and whipping cream together and stir until smooth.  Let it sit for about 15 minutes. Gradually beat the butter into the melted mixture until combined.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar until you have the icing consistency you want.  And this where I added a drop or two of the food coloring.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

All Quiet Throughout...

The BF had a family emergency and had to fly back to Michigan for a couple of days.  Since we moved out here, he hasn't had to go anywhere overnight without me.  I had a 2 night trip a couple of years ago.  He's only gonna be gone for 2 days, but it just feels weird.  I'm not used to it.  Even the animals are acting weird.  Last night, our dog Gypsy, sensed that he was leaving.  She started the night sleeping on top of the BF, which is not normal. 

But anyway, I have the place to myself for a bit. 

Here's some stuff from the week.

1.  I made mini pizzas.  I used Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits and lined a muffin cup (I halved the biscuit dough to make a thinner crust).  Cover with pizza sauce and top with whatever pizza toppings you want and cook.  I even used some mini pepperonis.  We ate every single one...

2.  I've been growing green onions for a couple of months now.  I love those little guys...

3.  For St. Patty's, I made a Guinness cupcake, filled with a Jameson whisky ganache and topped with a Bailey's icing.  Recipe follows.  They're delicious, and it's unfortunate that I made so many, because alot of them ended up in our bellies.  And I don't recommend these if you don't like the taste of liquor, because you can taste it :)

The recipe was adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Chocolate Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes
Makes 20 to 24 cupcakes

For the Guinness Cupcakes
1 cup Guinness
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Ganache Filling
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1-2 teaspoons Jameson Irish whiskey

Baileys Frosting
3-4 cups confections sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperatue
3-4 tablespoons Baileys

For the cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the Guinness and 1 cup butter to simmer in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
• Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add the Guinness mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using a rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

For the filling:

• Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth.  Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.

Fill the cupcakes:

• Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.  Meanwhile, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. You want to go most of the way down the cupcake but not cut through the bottom - aim for 2/3 of the way.  Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Make the frosting:

• Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.
• When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys and whip it until combined.
• Ice and decorate the cupcakes.

Note: You can bake the cupcakes a week or two in advance and store them, well wrapped, in the freezer. You can also fill them before you freeze them.




Stay classy,

Heidi