Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Chai Spiced Buttercream

Looking for the perfect bake sale treat? Look no further! I've been on a winter flavors kick lately - I can't get enough of anything with cinnamon, cloves, & nutmeg (especially if it comes in the form of beautiful frosting swirls). And you really can't go wrong with the combination of chocolate + stout. Not only is it delicious, but it also creates an incredibly rich and moist crumb.

Ingredients

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

• Stout: 1 1/2 cups 
• Bittersweet Chocolate: 3 ounces
• Flour: 2 1/2 cups
• Sugar: 3 cups 
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: 1 1/2 cups
• Baking Powder: 3/4 teaspoon
• Baking Soda: 2 teaspoons
• Salt: 1 1/4 teaspoons
• Cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon
• Eggs: 3
• Vegetable Oil: 3/4 cup
• Buttermilk: 1 1/2 cups
• Vanilla: 1 teaspoon

Chai Spiced Buttercream

• Butter: 2 cups (8 sticks)
• Powdered Sugar: 7 1/2 cups
• Vanilla: 1 teaspoon
• Cinnamon: 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Ginger: 3/4 teaspoon
• Cloves: 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt: Small pinch
• Milk or Cream: 8 tablespoons

The How To (Chocolate Stout Cupcakes):

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a standard size muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Heat stout on the stovetop over low heat, or microwave in 30 second increments until hot (but not boiling).
3. Finely chop the chocolate. In a small bowl, whisk it into the hot stout until melted and smooth.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt).
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until thickened and lemon-colored (2-3 minutes)
6. Slowly pour in oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and stout/chocolate mixture and beat well.
7. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat on medium speed just until combined.
8. Pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter into each cupcake liner. You want the cupcakes to be slightly less than 3/4 filled - they'll rise a lot!
9. Bake cupcakes for 22-24 minutes at 300 degrees.
10. Cool cupcakes in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Repeat step 8 with remaining batter.

  The How To (Chai Spiced Buttercream):

1. In an electric mixer, beat the butter until very light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.
2. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar - 1/2 cup at a time.
3. Add the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg - beat until combined.
4. Beat in the milk or cream and the vanilla.

  The How To (Assembly):

1. Scoop frosting into a pastry bag (or Ziploc with with the end cut off!) and pipe onto each cupcake. I used a star tip for my cupcakes, but you can use whatever you like best! If you're in a hurry, you can always skip the piping and just use a butter knife to swirl some frosting on the top of each cupcake.
2. Garnish with a few shakes of cinnamon, if desired.

 

A Few Notes:

• You can skip the cinnamon in the cupcake batter if you're looking for a more traditional chocolate flavor.
• Don't overfill the pan! Your cupcakes will rise a significant amount.

Pairs Well With: