Guinness Cupcakes have a deep chocolate flavor enhanced by Guinness Beer. They are topped with cream cheese frosting flavored with Bailey’s Irish Cream and sprinkled with chocolate.

Guinness Cupcakes arranged together on a wooden tray.
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Guiness Stout pairs perfectly with chocolate and greatly enhances these cupcakes. It is the perfect dessert for St. Patrick’s Day, and I also love to make Guinness Chocolate Cake and Guinness Brownies.

The total time to make the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes is minimum and the results are so rich and decadent. If you are concerned you will taste the stout beer, you won’t. It just adds a rich and distinct flavor to the cupcakes.

Guinness Cupcake on a tray ready to serve.

Why We Love This Recipe

  • Packed with chocolate. It is the best recipe for chocolate lovers.
  • Perfectly flavored with Guinnes Beer. These chocolate stout cupcakes will be a hit.
  • So much delicious frosting. The cream cheese frosting has a subtle hint of Bailey’s Irish cream for the best flavor.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Guinness Cupcakes - flour, baking soda, butter, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, Guinness beer, cream cheese, powdered sugar, Bailey's Irish cream, chocolate shavings.

Cake

  • All Purpose Flour. Make sure that you spoon the flour instead of scooping it with the measuring cup so it will be accurate.
  • Baking soda. Best Baking Soda Substitutes
  • Unsalted Butter. Softened before using.
  • Large eggs. Room temperature.
  • Vanilla Extract. Pure vanilla extract is best.
  • Sour Cream. This makes the cake so moist.
  • Guinness Beer. Stout

Frosting

  • Cream Cheese. Softened at room temperature.
  • Powdered Sugar. Sift to remove any lumps.
  • Bailey’s Irish Cream. Adjust to the right consistency.
  • Chocolate Shavings. This is for topping the cupcakes.

Get the entire ingredients and recipe at the bottom of the page.

Substitutions and Additions

  • Espresso. Add espresso to the batter to deepen the chocolate and Guinness flavor. It pairs perfect with the Bailey’s frosting.
  • Topping. Instead of chocolate shavings, top the cupcakes with mini chocolate chips.
  • Yogurt. Swap the sour cream for full fat plain yogurt. Just note that the texture will not be as soft and fluffy.
  • Milk. Omit the Bailey’s in the frosting and use milk, heavy cream or half and half.
  • Frosting. Swap the frosting for Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting.

Step By Step Instructions

  • Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then line the cupcake tin with liners. 
Mixing bowl with dry ingredients.

Step 2. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. 

Mixing bowl with butter, sugar and eggs combined together.

Step 3. Get out a separate large mixing bowl. Beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. You can use a handheld mixer or stand mixer. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add in the eggs, one at a time, mix until combined.  Then mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream.  

Wet and dry ingredients combined in mixing bowl.

Step 4. Carefully mix in half of the dry ingredients until combined.  Then mix in the Guinness beer. Next, stir in the remaining dry ingredients.

Batter poured into muffin tins.

Step 5. Once the batter is combined, pour into the muffin tins. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

Cupcakes cooling in pan.

Step 6. The cupcakes need to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Butter and Bailey's combined in a mixing bowl.

Step 7. While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Use a large mixing bowl and beat the cream and butter together until light and fluffy. Next, add in the powdered sugar. Mix until combined. The frosting should be smooth. 

Bailey's gradually added to frosting.

Step 8. Once combined, slowly add in the Bailey’s to the cream icing. Beat on medium speed.

Frosting combined and ready to use on Guinness cupcakes.

Step 9. Just add 1 Tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and a piping consistency. 

  • Step 10. Use a piping bag with a star tip. Add the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
  • Step 11. Finally, garnish with the chocolate shavings.  These are delicious served with a swirl of Homemade Whipped Cream on the side.
Guiness Cupcakes arranged on a wooden tray.

Storage

Refrigerate any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap for up to 3-4 days.  

You can also freeze the unfrosted cupcakes up to 3 months. Place in a freezer container and thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to use.

Expert Tips

  • Room temperature ingredients. Make sure that all refrigerated items are at room temperature before making the cupcakes. This will ensure all of the ingredients combine smoothly.
  • Allow the cupcakes to cool. They need to be completely cool before frosting.
  • Don’t overmix the batter. Combine until the ingredients are just mixed together. The texture will not be soft and fluffy if you overmix.
  • Don’t skip the sour cream. It gives the cupcakes a moist crumb and incredible flavor.
  • Swap the Bailey’s. If you prefer a non-alcohol frosting, use Irish creamer instead.

More Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

It’s your turn to try this delicious recipe for Guinness Cupcakes. Don’t forget to come back and leave a star recipe rating and comment.

Guinness Cupcakes

3 from 2 votes
Guinness Cupcakes have a deep chocolate flavor enhanced by Guinness Beer. They are topped with cream cheese frosting flavored with Bailey's Irish Cream and sprinkled with chocolate.
Servings 24
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Calories 218

Ingredients

For the Cake:

For the Frosting:

  • 8 ounces Cream Cheese room temperature
  • 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter softened
  • 3 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 3-4 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
  • Chocolate Shavings for topping
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Instructions

For the Cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12 cupcake tin with liners.
  • In a medium size bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with a hand held mixer or stand up mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Add in the eggs, one at a time, mix until combined.  Then mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream.
  • Gently mix in half of the dry ingredients until just combined.
  • Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and mix in the Guinness beer until combined.
  • Then stir in the remaining of the dry ingredients until just combined.
  • Pour the batter evenly into the cupcake tins filling them up approximately ¾ of the way full.
  • Bake for 15-17 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
  • Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes and then move to a cooling rack to cool completely before topping with the frosting.

For the Frosting:

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cream and butter together with a hand held mixer or stand up mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Add in the powdered sugar. Mix until combined and the frosting is smooth.
  • Then slowly add in the Bailey’s, 1 Tablespoon at a time, under the frosting is smooth and a piping consistency.
  • Place the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the frosting onto each of the cupcakes.
  • Top with the chocolate shavings.  Then the cupcakes are ready to serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Refrigerate any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap for up to 3-4 days.  
Make sure that all refrigerated items are at room temperature before making these cupcakes to ensure that all the ingredients

Nutrition Facts

Calories 218kcal, Carbohydrates 29g, Protein 2g, Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1g, Monounsaturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0.2g, Cholesterol 42mg, Sodium 108mg, Potassium 52mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 24g, Vitamin A 363IU, Vitamin C 0.1mg, Calcium 22mg, Iron 1mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Desserts on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you create delicious desserts on a budget and do not require a ton of time. Together, we are going to make something sweet that the entire family will love!

3 from 2 votes

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Comments

  1. Kathy says:

    5 stars
    Super easy and delicious.

  2. Levella says:

    1 star
    Guinness Beer Stout????