Football and Guinness Cupcakes. A match made in heaven!

Happy Superbowl! I'm a football girl, so even though my team (the Seahawks) didn't make it, I'm looking forward to the game... and hopefully the Giants will humiliate Tom Brady. I'm holding out hope. ;)

So, in honor of today's game, I decided to try out a new cupcake recipe. Tell me, what event could possibly be more deserving of Guinness laced cupcakes with Irish Cream buttercream?! I'm thinking this is by far the most appropriate time for these bad boys, especially since we'll have plenty of company to help us devour them!

Since I've still got a ton of stuff to do, I'm keeping this sweet (literally) and short. I'm thinking if you need a good excuse to make these, now that football is over, St. Patty's Day is RIGHT around the corner! (hint, hint!)

Guinness Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting- makes approx. 24 cupcakes

(adapted from recipe at Food Network)

1 1/2 cups stout beer (obviously, I chose to go with Guinness here.)

4 oz butter (1 stick... I prefer to use salted butter.)

3/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2 cups brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

2. Cut butter into pieces and place in large saucepan with beer. Whisk over medium heat until butter melts.

3. Sift cocoa and sugar into beer and whisk well.

4. Combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. The original recipe says to add this entire mixture to the saucepan and warns that it may be lumpy. I decided to temper the eggs first by adding about half of the beer mixture to the eggs one ladleful at a time. Once you've tempered, add the mixture back to the saucepan and whisk well. I didn't see any lumps after doing this.

5. Sift flour and baking soda into saucepan and whisk until smooth and evenly colored.

6. Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling about 3/4 full.

7. Bake 24-27 minutes. Once the cake springs back from your touch, they're done. They don't rise as much as most other cupcakes, so don't worry...

8. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to baking rack.

Irish Cream Buttercream

1 cup softened butter (I also use salted butter here)

1 lb. box confectioners sugar (4 cups)

4 tbsp Irish Cream

splash of half and half (or milk)

1. Whip butter until light and fluffy with a hand or stand mixer.

2. Slowly add sifted confectioners sugar. Once all is combined, whip on high speed until fluffy.

3. Add Irish cream and mix until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too stiff, add more Irish Cream (or if there are going to be kids enjoying these, too, use half and half, like me. A tablespoon at a time.)

If you really want to make them special, shave or grate some dark chocolate over the top and Voila! Cupcakes for even the burliest football fans! Enjoy!!