Happy (Almost) St Patricks Day!

Its my brother in laws Birthday on Thursday (Saint Patrick Day) so in honour of Neil and of Saint Patrick's I baked some delicious cupcakes today.

Chocolate Pot of gold cupcakes:

Chocolate Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water

1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

4 ounces (120 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups (160 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Add the boiling water to cocoa and mix, let cool. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and the vanilla. Sift in the dry ingredients.Finally add the cooled cocoa mixture and combine. Bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Combine the room temp butter and icing sugar and beat with a cake mixer until light and fluffy. Add a dash of vanilla and chocolate mixture. If you don't have real chocolate you can substitute the chocolate for a couple of table spoons of cocoa.

Pot of gold:

When cupcakes are cooled cut small holes out of the top of the cupcakes and fill with a caramel sauce, I use herseys but any store bought or even home-made caramel will do.

I decorated mine with little shamrock sprinkles but you could use green jelly crystals or make your own out of fondant.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateCupcakes.html#ixzz1Gf2JPaaT

Here are some of my favourite Saint Patrick's cupcakes I've seen on the net this year (click on the pictures for the sources)

 These are pretty hardcore, but awesome right?

 I love these little pints of Guinness too.