Irish coffee cupcakes
Give vanilla cupcakes a grown-up makeover, with a hidden whisky ganache filling and a swirl of boozy whipped cream on top.
Equipment and preparation: You will need an electric whisk or stand mixer and a piping bag for this recipe.
Ingredients
For the cupcake
- 115g/4oz unsalted butter, softened
- 170g/6oz light brown soft sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 free-range eggs
- 2 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 115ml/4fl oz unsweetened soya or whole milk
- 30ml/1fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- 170g/6oz self-raising flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- salt
For the whisky coffee ganache
- 175g/6oz white chocolate, broken into small pieces
- 70ml/2½fl oz double cream
- 2 tsp instant coffee
- 2 tbsp whisky
For the Irish cream whipped cream
- 350ml/12fl oz double cream
- 50ml/2fl oz Irish cream
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- pinch salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
To make the cupcakes, combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat on high using an electric whisk or stand mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat again for 30 seconds. Reduce the speed to low, then add the eggs one at a time to make a batter. Let each egg mix in completely before adding the next.
Mix together the instant coffee and hot water in a measuring jug. Once dissolved, add the milk and oil and whisk together. Set aside.
Sieve the flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt into a separate bowl. Add one-third of the flour mixture into the cupcake batter, mix until just incorporated, then add one-third of the coffee milk mixture. Repeat until everything is combined. Fill the cupcake cases with the cupcake batter and bake for 17–20 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
To make the ganache, put the white chocolate chunks into a heatproof bowl. Add the cream and coffee into a small saucepan and heat over a low heat until steaming but not boiling. Pour the warm cream mixture over the chocolate and leave to stand for 30 seconds, then slowly mix from the middle in a circular motion until combined. Stir through the whisky, then set aside at room temperature.
To make the whipped cream, combine the cream, Irish cream, honey, vanilla bean paste and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the mixture until almost stiff peaks, then transfer to a piping bag.
To assemble the cupcakes, use a cake corer (or a large straw or piping nozzle) to remove the core from each cupcake. Spoon or pipe the ganache into the middle of each cupcake, then place the core of the cake back on top. Pipe the whipped cream over each cupcake to finish.