Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Coffee & Cupcakes

(photo & recipe Martha Stewart)

                                   

           

  Irish Coffee served with Irish Coffee Cupcakes

I am Irish by marriage and our family celebrates their Irish heritage every every year with our favorite dishes and being together.  Here are 2 recipes that easy to make and guaranteed to make your get together a success.  The cupcake is flavored with brown sugar and espresso and has a frosting spiked with whiskey.  This recipes makes 15 cupcakes and top it off with Irish coffee for a fabulous celebration.    

Irish Coffee Recipe:
Serves 4

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups strong black coffee
4 ounces Irish whiskey

Directions:

Whisk cream and sugar together in a medium bowl until stiff peaks for.  Divide coffee and whiskey among 4 coffee cups, then top each with 1/2 cups whipped cream.  Serve immediately.

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes -
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1/4 cup whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs

For the frosting -
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon whiskey
instant espresso powder (for dusting)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make the cupcakes..whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Pour water over espresso powder and let cool.  Combine espresso with milk.  Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.  (about 3 minutes.) Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with espresso - milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour.  

Spray 15 cups in your cupcake tin with cooking spray like Pam or use cupcake liner papers instead.  Fill the cups 3/4 full.  Bake about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 
Let the cupcakes cool and turn them out from pan.

Make your frosting in a bowl.  Whisk together heavy cream and confectioners sugar until medium peaks form.  Add whiskey, whisk until slightly stiff peaks form.  Top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons frosting and dust with espresso powder.  

                                               

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