You have GOT to have these!

At work today I was minding my own business, checking in the Yamaha order, when Dizzy suddenly calls out, "Hey, Princess! Come here!"

"No. I'm busy."

"This is important."

"I'm busy."

B-Money, "No, seriously. Come over here."

Big sigh. Look of irritation. Specialty Withering for good measure.

"What?"

Dizzy smiled. "So, I want you to find a bakery that delivers and specializes in Vodka Icing. Tomorrow is Jay Jay's birthday."

I rolled my eyes. "Jay Jay doesn't drink vodka anymore. Remember?"

B-Money said, "Oh yeah."

"What? Since when?"

"For like a year, dude. He stopped drinking vodka and he lost all of that weight."

"Oh...so what does he drink?"

B-Money said, "What everybody drinks. Beer."

I smiled. "I know a recipe for Guinness Cupcakes."

Dizzy: "Oh my God, Princess. You make those and we'll love you forever."

"Ok..."

So I came home, six pack of Guinness in hand. I have had this recipe for months, but I never had the opportunity to test it. Here was my big chance.

So I made these damn things. I poured that nasty, thick, smelly-ass beer into the bowl with the ingredients, and I poured the batter into cupcake papers, and I put them in the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.

And then I made the Vanilla Bean Frosting, extra light and fluffy because thick icing tends to overpower cake. And I beat that stuff until it peaked stiffer than...

Something.

Ahem. 

Then came the test.

Handing off the cupcake to Padawan.

"So...what do you think?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"That's the best damn cupcake I've had in a long time."

Approval.

Yay!

Then I put the icing on them (Padawan does not like any kind of frosting on his cupcakes or cakes) and topped them off with sprinkles. I'd take a picture, but I left my phone at work and I don't know where my camera is. But I can give you guys the recipe!

I'll let you know right now, they aren't sweet like traditional cupcakes. They've got less sugar, and that's what Padawan loves about them. But if you like a touch of sweetness added, the Vanilla Bean Frosting is a perfect combination.

Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness Stout (I used Draught, but if you want thicker batter you can do Extra Stout)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Nestle Cocoa, but use your favorite)
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet Guinness mixture.
4. Butter 24 muffin tins and divide the batter among the muffin tins.
5. Bake 25 minutes, until risen and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out of the tins.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream
1 stick salted butter – room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 tablespoon Clear Vanilla extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioner’s sugar 
4 tablespoons very cold milk

Directions
Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the clear vanilla extract and combine well. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk… one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition (mixer on medium-high to high speed) until you reach the desired consistency.

NOTE: I added an extra splash of clear vanilla to the frosting. It felt like the powdered sugar was overpowering the vanilla flavor.