Becoming Brooklyn

For a dinner party last night, I decided to bring some dessert. Rather than going with the generic cupcake, I made Chocolate Beer Cupcakes– with a little Brooklyn flavor, of course. They were rich and delicious, without being overpowered by the beer. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1 cup stout (I prefer Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout)

3/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 cups flour

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the butter and beer in a large saucepan and heat on low to melt. Remove from heat, and whisk in cocoa, sugar, and espresso. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, then whisk that into the beer mixture. Add the flour and baking soda. Pour into a cupcake pan and bake for 25 minutes.

I like a whipped cream cheese based frosting, as it balances out the chocolate. Here are the ingredients for the frosting:

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

In a small bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fold in whipped cream.