Updated: Chocolate Guinness, Whiskey & Bailey's Cupcakes, phew!

Okay! You might remember a post about these cupcakes from last year: Cupcakes: March 28, 2011.  It's hard to believe how far I've come with my recipes and techniques, it's been interesting to go back to some old recipes and try again.  Bare with me folks, I'm hoarding my tried, true, tested, & approved recipes for the long awaited cookbook! But not everything is mine,  here's the original location for this cupcake recipe: Smitten Kitchen. Anyway! I find it's so fun to try older recipes again and see how much I can improve them. Uh, success?! These cupcakes were already a success but a few tweaks with ganache and general baking practice they came out even better!

I've finally figured out the sufficient amount of batter to put in cupcake liners.  Sometimes I use a ladle but mostly I  pipe it into liners.

The recipe calls for 1-2 tsp. of whiskey in the ganache...I went with 4, okay a little over 4.  Let's just say I wasn't careful.

Time to core the cupcakes...oh darn, time to sample!  There are several ways you can core a cupcake, my favorite is with a melon baller.

It took a few hours for the ganache to cool and harden enough where it wouldn't melt the cupcake.  I used a different kind of chocolate - more cocoa butter - so it took a little longer to solidify.  I pipe the ganache (or any filling) when it comes to the center of cupcakes.  Much, much easier!

Almost there!  Time to make the bailey's frosting.  To balance out the flavor and to add moisture to the frosting, I used a little whipping cream when it got a little stiff.  Taste test to see if the Bailey's is too intense or just right.

I piped just enough to cover the ganache center as this is a very rich cupcake!  Plus, it was for St. Patrick's Day so I went for the 3-leaf clover - which is the actual kind of clover unless you happen to turn over a 4-leaf - if so and you meet a leprechaun, give him my name and number!
Enjoy!