Chocolate Stout Cupcakes-Oscars style

I am a big fan of cooking with beer. I think it adds a bit of bite to a lot of dishes, and it's something I always have in my fridge. Tonight I am hosting an Oscars party with a few friends and while there will be booze at the party, there will also be booze in one of the dishes. I'll post the rest of the recipes later this week, but to whet your appetite I'm also making buffalo cheesey bread and chorizo and smoked gouda stuffed jalapenos. Yep, I'm going all out. The Oscars is the only awards show I ever watch so I'll need the fuel!

I took this recipe for chocolate stout cupcakes and add my own Oscars-themed spin on it with concession candy. I picked up a few boxes of Reese's Pieces, Junior Mints and Whoppers and voila! Movie theme cupcakes. I'm pulling for The Artist to win for Best Picture tonight so many of these are black and white...in honor of a beautiful film.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes (makes 24 cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for dusting finished cupcakes
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purposeflour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch fine salt
• 1 bottle stout beer (recommended: Guinness)
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 TB vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.

In another large mixing bowl, combine the stout, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat in eggs, 1 at time. Mix in sour cream until thoroughly combined and smooth. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.


Lightly grease 24 muffin tins. Divide the batter equally between muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for about 12 minutes and then rotate the pans. Bake another 12 to 13 minutes until risen, nicely domed, and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out.

To make the icing:

In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the heavy cream. On low speed, slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Icing can be made several hours ahead and kept covered and chilled. Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and your favorite concession candy!