you dropped a bomb on me, baby

Sometimes commenters are inspiring. Case in point: When Mike asked about carbomb cupcakes in response to a post I wrote on a St. Patrick’s Day feast, I had no knowledge such a cupcake existed.

This year, I decided to create a version of my own using Guinness in the cake mix, Bailey’s Irish Cream in a cream filling and Irish whiskey in the frosting.

While this recipe isn’t hard, there are a bunch of different parts that involve a bunch of big bowls. Your kitchen will look, very appropriately, like a bomb exploded after you make these. But don’t let that scare you away from the awe and amazement that will surely be yours if you bring these zingy pint-size cakes to a St. Patrick’s Day party.

Guinness Chocolate Cake

• 1 box yellow butter cake
• 1 3.9-oz package chocolate instant pudding mix
• ½ cup Guinness beer
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup water
• 4 large eggs

Beat ingredients for 2 minutes. Then follow the cake mix box’s instructions for making cupcakes.

Note: I went for both a light chocolate and light Guinness flavor — the latter mainly provides some spicy notes. Feel free to make it a more potent cake by substituting the water in the recipe for more Guinness or making it uber-chocolatey by using a chocolate cake mix.

Irish Whipped Cream Filling

• 1½ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Sugar to taste

Combine and whip until cream holds peaks. Once cupcakes are cool, fill with whipped cream. I like the cone technique described here at Baking Bites.

Note: If you want a stronger Bailey’s flavor, cut back on the cream and add more Bailey’s.

Whiskey Frosting

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup whiskey

Beat butter till smooth. Add powdered sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Slowly pour in whiskey while blending. Don’t overbeat.

Top off filled cupcakes with frosting. Shave a chocolate bar over tops of cupcakes for presentation points.

Note: Add more powdered sugar if you want a stiffer frosting. And truth be told, I cheated and used Kentucky bourbon whiskey instead of Irish whiskey. Bourbon has a sweetness that I thought would be a better fit for a dessert. You opt for whichever you prefer — or have in your house.

Comments

very nice! this would be a great way to end a dinner of corned beef and cabbage. will definitely try...

Where is the chocolate in this recipe? I see yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding mix...

Offensive name for these cupcakes. THere are too many people dying in this world from car bombs, it is not funny.

Obviously Kim doesn't drink. An "Irish Car Bomb" is a shot not just some random name someone came up with for a cupcake! 1/2 a pint of Guinness, 1/2 a shot of Baily's and half a shot of Irish whiskey. Drop the shot into the Guinness and pound it! Deeeeelish!

I agree Nik, Kim needs to get out more. These sound great! I may try my hand at baking. Since all the ingredients are out I will probably do a couple of Irish Car Bombs as well.

LINDA - Chocolate Pudding Mix...and though Kim makes a good point, it is the drink name. Relax Kim.

Kim,
I feel the same way growing up in the 70's and living through the troubles in Ireland which effected the entire UK. I feel that the name the "Irish car Bomb" is in extremely bad taste.
How many people would eat a cake called "9/11 exploding towers"?
The majority of people would have more class and respect.
My first blog has been removed,why?

Hello
Has anybody tried this recipie ?

I can't wait to make this. I'm looking at it as a delicious variation of the traditional chocolate cupcake. If it is as good as it looks and sounds, it doesn't need a 'name'...you just have to be sure to set one aside so you can enjoy it yourself. I don't think they will be on the plate for long!!

Wow, Kim might be naive but Brian needs to get a heart. Maybe she had a relative die in a car bomb. No need for such a strong reaction! The cupcakes sound great though! Can't wait to try them even though I'm not big on drinking Guinness in the US- just doesn't taste right out here. Hope the cupcakes do though!

Please, Brian, exercise a little tolerance for others and make a batch of the cupcakes...it might sweeten your disposition.

Inappropriate Name

Wow~thanks for sharing this fun recipe for St. Patrick's Day. Please don't be so hard on Brian. Someone was just passing the recipe along & Kim got all crossways. It's not being insensitive. There;s things in the world that happen that we have no control over. Like Brian said, we're just trying to have fun here with a great recipe and no one was trying to offend anyone!

Brian is a guy I want to stay away from! What a mouth!! His momma must be proud...... He could have said what he felt in totally different language. My first thought was the same as Kim's.

Just FYI people Irish car bombs are American made and not actually Irish so offensive or not (p.s. Many in Ireland will get offended if you try to ask for one at a pub) it's not even Irish. I learned thi when I was in Ireland. I didn't know before that either.
I read a blog once that compared it to having a 9-11 shot. I don't know if that's overboard or not but I do know Irish are still sensitive about thr British and all that.

Linda, I would agree with you except for the use of "all caps" in Brian's remarks and his choice of words, which were offensive. Everyone has a right to their opinion and should not be attacked in such a vicious manner. A little respect for other's will go a long way...even if you don't agree with their opinions.

Don't get so upset about the name. I'm Irish and it doesn't bother me. I've seen a lot of girls ordering a "Fuzzy Nipple" in the pub and the name doesn't seem to upset them. The cupcakes contain good old Irish Whiskey, so that's good enough for me!

Just wondering what the '9-11 twins cakes' would be made of.

waste of good alcoholic beverages best sipped respectfully. I admit Guiness in the US doesn't taste as good as that served in Dublin by a Guiness employee who can etch a shamrock in the foam as a final flourish, but it still is tastier than the average draft from the corner bar. I'll stick to my Irish 'Tea" Brack.

I went home and made these last night. This is a great recipe, they were delicious and very unique. Alcohol and sugar...what more could you ask for? My kids were mad they couldn't have any. Enjoy!

The name is offensive.
The latest car bomb exploded in N. Ireland this week, not in the distant past.
I agree with the 9/11 analogy.

In this day and age I was shocked to see that was the name of the cupcakes. When I tell my friends about them or copy the recipe for someone I just call them St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes. Just change the name to something you like

Cute name - it creates all sorts of buzz,no pun intended....

Folks that know realize that the "Irish Car Bomb" is a shot named with a bit o Irish Humor, albeit Irish American Humor. Anyone planning to celebrate St. Pat's Day should be aware that The Kelts sing about war and laugh about death. It is centuries old tradition and culture handed down through generations. It is common knowledge that our humor isn't always appreciated by anglos and others and it is also common knowledge that we don't give a fuck. Great Recipe, Approriate Name, Sláinte ("slawnt-yeh")

The best response in this entire blog was just posted by Jenn today @ 6:51am. She states she "made these last night" and "they were delicious and very unique". FINALLY, the information I was looking for, Thanks Jenn!

Seriously! Some people need to not take things so literally. Chill out! No-one was being insensitive it is just a name of the cupcake named after a drink that someone was trying to share with people. Don't make the cupcakes if you don't want to. Some of you need a shot of Whiskey and get over it!

This may sound dumb, but how do you "fill" a cup cake after it has been cooked??

Delicious recipe!! Some suggestions would be to make about 1/3 the amount of cream filling (there was way too much leftover) and to either scale back the whiskey in the frosting, or ramp up the sugar. A hint of whiskey is tasty, but too much can ruin the cupcake. The Guinness and pudding mix in the cake made it deliciously light and fluffy. I love the Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes both in name and in taste!

I made these for our neighborhood's St. Patty's Day party. They were all gone by the end of the night! If you're like me and go by the "some-for-you, some-for-me" method of baking, you'll be pretty tipsy by the time you're done making them! All in all, a lot of fun!

Hilde, if you are still out there, you can fill a cupcake after is baked by making a hole at the top in the middle, you can try a straw and then fill with a plastic bag (just cut one of the corners or a long cake decorator tip. Don't over fill, it may result that the cupcake brakes. You can frost after. Good luck!