Guinness cupcakes are rich, intensely chocolate cupcakes. These moist, not-too-sweet cupcakes are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
Get ready to indulge in a unique and delicious treat with Guinness cupcakes! These cupcakes offer an intensely rich chocolate flavor infused with the subtle roasty notes of Guinness stout.
Their moist texture and balanced sweetness make them a perfect celebratory dessert for St. Patrick’s Day or any occasion where you crave a special chocolatey experience.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. If you’re using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1 teaspoon.
- Dutch processed cocoa powder: I like to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe because it’s less bitter than unsweetened baking cocoa. The Guinness already has some bite to it, and bitter cocoa powder makes for more bitter cupcakes.
- Light brown sugar: I use light brown sugar to keep the brown sugar flavor milder. However, dark brown sugar will also work.
- Sour cream: I recommend full-fat sour cream. The fat helps to make the cupcakes moist.
How to make Guinness cupcakes
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including instructions, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F Grease or line 21 standard muffin tin cups.
Step 2: Add butter, Guinness, cocoa powder, and brown sugar to a large saucepan.
Step 3: Cook over medium-low heat, whisking regularly, until the butter has melted and the mixture well-combined. Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
Step 4: Add the cooled Guinness mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Step 5: Using either a hand mixer or stand mixer, mix in the vanilla, eggs, and sour cream on medium for 2 minutes, or until smooth.
Step 6: Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix in just until combined.
Step 7: Divide the batter evenly amongst the prepared muffin tin cups.
Step 8: Bake in preheated oven for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
Step 9: Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool to room temperature before frosting.
Recipe Tips!
- Mixing: You can mix this cupcake batter by hand if you don’t have an electric mixer.
- Frosting: I like to frost the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Vanilla buttercream also goes well. For an adults-only frosting, add some Bailey’s to the vanilla buttercream in place of the vanilla extract and cream.
- Decorating: You can top with cupcakes with a bit of shaved chocolate or with festive St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles.
Recipe FAQs
You can! The unfrosted cupcakes freeze well, and freezing the cupcakes leaves you with slightly moister cupcakes.
Sure! I’ve used flat Guinness and straight-from-the-bottle Guinness to make the cupcakes. It works well both ways.
Storage
The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you’ve frosted the cupcakes with vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting, then store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The frosted cupcakes will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More St. Patrick’s Day recipes!
If you’ve tried this Guinness cupcake recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
You can subscribe to receive my latest recipe newsletters or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for even more delicious food.
Guinness Cupcakes
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup Guinness stout
- 2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F Grease or line 21 standard muffin tin cups.
- Add butter, Guinness, cocoa powder, and brown sugar to a large saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, whisking regularly, until the butter has melted and the mixture well-combined.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the cooled Guinness mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in the vanilla, eggs, and sour cream on medium for 2 minutes, or until smooth.
- Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix in just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly amongst the prepared muffin tin cups.
- Bake in preheated oven for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool to room temperature before frosting.
Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. If you’re using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1 teaspoon.
- Dutch processed cocoa powder: I like to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe because it’s less bitter than unsweetened baking cocoa. The Guinness already has some bite to it, and bitter cocoa powder makes for more bitter cupcakes.
- Light brown sugar: I use light brown sugar to keep the brown sugar flavor milder. However, dark brown sugar will also work.
- Sour cream: I recommend full-fat sour cream. The fat helps to make the cupcakes moist.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram @i_heart_eating and follow on Youtube @katedean and Pinterest @katedean for more!
Reader Interactions
Love this recipe?
Share your thoughts below and let’s chat! Make sure to connect with me on your favorite social platform below and show me what you made!
Comments & Reviews
Francine says
Can this recipe be made without the guiness?
Kate says
I haven’t tried to make the cupcakes without the Guinness, but coffee is often used as a substitute for Guinness in baked goods. That might be a good place to start if you’re looking for a substitute.
Erva minard says
Thanks. I always enjoy your recipes.