~ Just Bitten ~The True Blood Fan Blog~

Start with an intensely coffee-flavored cupcake, hide a surprise brownie in the center, throw in a touch of whiskey for good measure, top with chocolate whiskey cream cheese frosting, and you’ve got Irish Coffee Brownie Cupcakes.  St. Patrick’s Day will never be the same!

Irish Coffee Brownie Cupcakes

Yield: 16 cupcakes

Brownie Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a medium-sized bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
Mix in cocoa powder, flour, and salt until just combined.
Set aside.

Cupcake Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
1 cup whole roasted coffee beans
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup whiskey
Brownie batter from above

Directions:
In a small saucepan on medium-high, heat milk and coffee beans until just boiling.

Remove from heat, cover, and steep for fifteen minutes.
Using a sieve, remove the beans from the milk and set the milk aside. You will only need ¾ cup of the milk, so it’s fine if some sticks to the beans during this process.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs to the butter/sugar mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
In a small bowl, mix together whiskey and ¾ cup of the coffee-infused milk.
Alternately mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients into the butter/sugar bowl, mixing until just combined.
Fill cupcake liners ¾ full with cupcake batter.
Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of brownie batter into the center of each cupcake.
Bake for 25 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Frosting Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons whiskey

Directions:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
Mix in powdered sugar a little bit at a time until fully combined.
Mix in cocoa powder and whiskey.
Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.