Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes

Total Time: 52 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 22 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 18
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chip
• 1 (1 lb) package confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup irish cream, such as bailey's (or heavy cream)
• 1/8 teaspoon leaves green concentrated food coloring, plus additional

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 line 18 muffin cups with liners.
• 3 in bowl, mix cocoa and hot water until dissolved; reserve.
• 4 melt 6 t butter; reserve.
• 5 in bowl, mix flour with next five ingredients.
• 6 whisk in buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and cocoa mixture.
• 7 stir in chips.
• 8 divide among liners.
• 9 bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• 10 cool 10 minutes.
• 11 transfer from pan to racks; cool.
• 12 on medium-high speed, beat remaining butter until fluffy.
• 13 gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until blended.
• 14 add liqueur; beat until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.
• 15 beat in 1/8 t food coloring until blended.
• 16 if desired, fit large star tip into pastry bag.
• 17 using paintbrush starting at tip of bag, paint 2-3 lines of food coloring along inside, ending 1 inch from edge.
• 18 place bag in glass; fill with frosting.
• 19 pipe, or with spoon, spread frosting over cupcakes.
• 20 if desired, decorate with shamrocks.