Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

I suppose I made these in honor of St. Patrick's Day, or just as an excuse for me to check up on my baking skills, or as another excuse to be able to drink and eat at the same time. Either way, you can't go wrong with Guinness Stout and Chocolate. My brother gave me the recipe, and as you might have noticed I haven't posted the particulars of recipes in the past, either because I was too lazy or I just threw the portions together and came out with the dish. Well, this, I actually measured each ingredient, so the recipe follows. The cupcakes came out moist and delicious. The flavor of the Guinness is very faint, not overpowering at all; the recipe only calls for 12 ounces, but it definitely gives the cupcake a light and airy texture. Enjoy!

50 mins (25 mins Active)
24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness stout
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for garnish
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
For the Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound confectioners' sugar
Cocoa powder, for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet Guinness mixture.

Butter 24 muffin tins and divide the batter among the muffin tins.

Bake 25 minutes, until risen and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out of the tins.

Make the frosting:
Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the heavy cream. Slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar.

Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa.