Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

CUPCAKES
1/2 lb unsalted butter
1 cup Guinness stout (is a Irish Dry Stout style beer)
2/3 cup dark cocoa, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
green food coloring (optional)
green sprinkles (optional)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Lightly grease 24 to 30 muffin cups or line them with paper liners.
1. In a heavy saucepan heat the butter, Guinness and dark cocoa powder until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool. In a large bowl, sift together the salt, flour, sugar and baking soda. Add the Guinness cocoa mixture and beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
2. Add the eggs and sour cream and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
3. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla.
5. Leave as is or tint it with green food coloring for a festive look.
6. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin.
7. Then remove the muffins onto a wire rack to cool completely. Frost the cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with green sprinkles or sugar.
My Notes: With St Patty's coming up, seemed appropriate to pick up one of these old standbys. 12 oz bottled poured into a standard pint glass at around 45*F. Dark brown, almost black, big 2-3 finger kahki head with good retention and lacing. BUT Stout is a dark beer made using roasted malt or roasted barley, hops, water and yeast. Stouts were traditionally the generic term for the strongest or stoutest .