Irish Bomb shots are a common cocktail for March and especially the days surrounding St. Patrick’s Day. Take this well known shot and turn it into a cupcake, and you have a fantastic treat that is sure to be a hit at any Irish parties you are throwing or attending. Taking this recipe, we made it using only Colorado beers and spirits.
This recipe layers all three components of the Irish Bomb Shot; Stout Beer cupcakes, Whiskey Chocolate Ganache filling, and Cream liqueur Buttercream frosting. Please note, this is not a cupcake for the kids! The alcohol in the frosting and ganache is not cooked out. We made two versions: 1 for the adults and 1 for the kids by making the ganache and frosting without the liquor added. Here is how to make the Colorado Irish Bomb Shot cupcakes.
Part 1: The Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup all-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (Melted, but room temp.)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup plus a splash Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout (Shout out to Left Hand Brewing since this beer is PERFECT for these cupcakes)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
- Start by lining a cupcake pan with paper liners. Bonus points if they are St. Patrick’s themed.
- In a large bowl, mix the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make sure it’s mixed up entirely.
- Grab another bowl, and whisk together the butter, eggs, and the vanilla. While whisking, pour the Milk Stout in slowly.
- Mix the wet mixture in with the dry mixture. Mix it up for about a minute on medium speed. Make sure everything is well combined. (I [Zach] bought this stand mixer for Angela but really it was for me cause she makes so many delicious baked goods. Hand Mixers will work great for this as well.)
- Fill the lined cupcake cups about 1/2 to 3/4 full. I was informed this prevents it from baking over and creating a huge mess I would then be responsible for cleaning.
- Plop that cupcake pan in the oven for about 18-20 minutes. Check to see if they’re done by sticking a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out clean, they are good to go!
- Now Let these cool, and move onto part 2.
Part 2: The Whiskey Ganache
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups of Semi-sweet chocolate chips (We used some baking bar chocolate and chocolate chips, just make sure it’s semi-sweet)
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2/3 Cup Heavy whipping cream. (Not pictured. I dropped the ball on that one.)
- 4 teaspoons Talnua Heritage Selection Whiskey. Maybe a splash more. Or a splash in a glass to sip. You already made the cupcakes, you earned a small taste of some delicious whiskey.
Directions:
- In a saucepan, combine the chocolate, butter, and cream and mix it/melt it all together over low/medium-low heat. Don’t stop stirring-that chocolate will burn right to the bottom of your pan.
- When it’s fully melted and combine, pour in the whiskey. Mix it up!
- Once it’s good and mixed, pull it from the heat to let it cool a bit and thicken up. I would recommend stirring it some as it cools to make sure the whiskey doesn’t separate out of the mixture.
- Now that it’s cool and mixed up, use a corer on your cooled off cupcake and add this ganache to the middle of your cupcakes.
- This is optional: Put the cupcakes in the fridge or freezer for a bit to really harden that ganache back up. It makes frosting them so much easier!
- Secondary option: Wanna share with the kiddos? Just don’t add the whiskey to the ganache. It still comes out delicious!
Part 3: The Frosting
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Colorado Cream Liqueur.
- 3 Tablespoons Nooku Cream liqueur.
- NOTE: The Colorado cream liqueur has a caramel flavor that compliments the entirety of the cupcake excellently, while the Nooku is a more traditional whiskey cream liqueur that is fantastically made and gives the more traditional Bomb Shot flavor. I recommend trying both before using them, and adjusting the qualities based on your preference.
Directions:
- Add all the above ingredients to the mixer, or to a bowl for the hand mixer. Mix it together on a low to medium speed. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a bit more cream liqueur.
- DON’T OVER MIX! Once its a good consistency, stop or it could turn south on you.
- Pull your cupcakes out of the fridge or freezer if you put them in there, and frost those cupcakes. You can scoop it on or use a piping tool.
- Decorate with festive sprinkles.
Part 4: Enjoy!
Now that you have finished making them, it’s time to eat! They are rich, delicious, and great for sharing with great friends. Good Food and drink are always better with great company!
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