St. Patrick's Day is upon us and while the majority of people will be enjoying their Irish beer in pint form, I chose to enjoy it another way, in a cupcake! 

This may sound a little crazy and I thought so too, but after trying this recipe out, I am convinced that beer cupcakes need to be a thing. The beer makes the cupcake moist but also gives it a spicier flavor. It's not too sweet which is a nice change from the sugar overload of Valentine's Day that I experienced (please tell me I'm not the only one chicks)!

Here's what you need:


2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 cups Steam Whistle Pilsner Beer
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

I'm not a fan of nuts and extras in my cupcakes so I skipped these ingredients that the original recipe called for, but feel free to add:
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups chopped dates 
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with papers or grease. 


Step 1: Cream Butter 


Cream butter and sugar together. If you've never creamed butter, it can seem like a daunting task but it's not too bad, I swear! I like to soften my butter first and use an electric hand mixer, cream until it's smooth. Add in the sugar and use the mixer to cream further, there shouldn't be any lumps.

Step 2: Eggs and Spices


Stir in eggs, spices and if you're using them, the nuts and dates. I also like to briefly whisk the eggs in a separate bowl first, which makes the cake fluffier.

Step 3: Dry Ingredients


In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in Steam Whistle Pilsner. It will start to smell really yeasty, that's how you know you're doing it right!

Step 4: Batter
 

Combine the beer mixture with the other dry ingredients. Pour into cupcake pan and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Let cool and frost cupcakes! 

I like using a cream cheese frosting for these cupcakes. Try this recipe:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, and then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. 


How will you be spending your St. Patrick's Day chicks?

(recipe adapted via Chef Gerry Crewe's Cooking with Beer: Favourites of Newfoundland & Labrador, other images via Steam Whistle)