Guiness Black Bottom Cupcakes

A friend of mine from high school recently posted an article about a local bake shop that makes awesome cupcakes, often using some sort of ale as the base.  I was intrigued to say the least.  When, on their blog, they posted an actual *gasp* top secret recipe, Amanda let me know and I jumped at the chance.  So here, my friends,  from one friend to another, are the crazy cupcakes.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  

Start with top ingredients: In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, egg, sugar, and salt using an electric mixer until creamy. Set aside.  But only if you want to.

For the bottom ingredients:  In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to mix it all together. Place beer, melted butter, vanilla, and vinegar together in a separate bowl and whisk together. Then take the liquid and mix it into your dry ingredients. Use mixer until combined. 

Looks so appetizing, right?

Requirement: Cute Cupcake Papers.

Fill half the paper with bottom mixture (chocolate), and spoon 1 tablespoon of the top mixture (cream cheese stuff).  You can swirl them together if you'd like, or just do half and half.

Bake in preheated oven, 18-20minutes.

Top with Irish Cream Frosting, because - apparently - this recipe needs a little more alcohol.

Guinness Black Bottom Cupcakes (from Sweet and Stout)

Bottom Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)
1 cup stout beer
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tsp white vinegar

Top Ingredients:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put cupcake papers in muffin pan. I believe this made a dozen full size cupcakes, but it’s been a while.

2. Start with the top ingredients. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, egg, sugar, and salt using an electric mixer until creamy. Set aside.

3. Now for the bottom ingredients: In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to mix it all together. Place beer, melted butter, vanilla, and vinegar together in a separate bowl and whisk together. Then take the liquid and mix it into your dry ingredients. Use mixer until combined.

4. Drop 2 tablespoons of bottom mixture (chocolate) into prepared cupcake liners. Top with 2 tablespoons of top mixture (white cream cheese). You could swirl them together if you like, or just do half and half. (Either way, they taste delicious!)

5. Bake in preheated oven, 18 – 20 minutes.

Irish Cream Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 -4 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream (Note: the mini bottles that are sold at the liquor store contain the perfect amount.)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, blend together cream cheese, butter, and Bailey's. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well until it’s all incorporated. Use immediately. The frosting will harden in the fridge, so plan on bring it back to room temperature if you must refrigerate it before frosting the cupcakes.

Enjoy with love.



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1000 Gifts: 161-180

-The Ninth Installment of 1000 Gifts- 161.  Being greeted at the door with a strong hug and a firm kiss

162.  The way he appreciates the meals I make

163.  Lemon-Garlic Salmon

164.  My tour guides

165.  That moment when dinner is over, yet we linger at the table just 'catching up' on                                              .         our days

166.  That feeling of satisfaction after mailing a package.  Anyone else?

167.  Coffee in one hand, the Word in the other

168.  My Kitchen-Aide mixer

169.  A nicely made bed

170.  Being comfortable with each other

171.  Coming home to an empty sink

172.  Efficient meetings

173.  Bowling

174.  Diet Pepsi

175.  Cinnamon Rolls on a Sunday

176.  The comfort of old friends

177.  Pesto on Pizza

178.  His Grace

179.  Efficiency 180.  Quelf with my favorite ladies All is Grace.

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Valentine's Day

This was going to be a post about Valentine's Day.  I had drafted a nice little dissertation and rant about the things that I love and the things that I loathe about the holiday.  It was nice. But, then I reread it and I annoyed myself.  Does that ever happen to you?  I get sick of my voice, or in this case, my writing.  So I erased it.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the flowers and the gifts and the wonderful evening that the Mr. had planned and brilliantly executed.  I just didn't feel the need to recount every moment, because there was something more important that occurred during our date.

We had finished our dinner early and were walking down Main Street through the sleepy downtown, ducking in and out of smallish shops on our way to the dinner theater when it hit me.  An overwhelming feeling of, well, I'll call it "love" but it was more than that.

It was comfort.  It was security.  It was knowing that the man that held my hand, holds my heart, and I am safe.  Couples who have been married much longer than we may laugh, shake their heads, and roll their eyes at this, for they have known it for ages.  But, bear with me... I'm discovering.

I'm discovering that butterflies are slowly replaced with comfort.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about letting ourselves go and ceasing to shower and living off of Cheetos.  And, fear not, I still get butterflies.  I still go weak at the knees with one look from him. I still get all dizzy-like when I stop and think of the treasure I have in him. And I still really like kissing him. But, the butterflies now have a companion.

This companion is a comfort that knows that I am known.  This comfort has replaced the "I hope I look okay in this outfit," and the "I hope he thinks I'm funny," and the "I wonder if he likes me as much I am like him..." and the "Is he going to propose tonight?" butterflies.  This man knows me and still chooses to spend his life with me and I have never known a comfort like this and I trust it will only grow with time. It may sound unromantic, but, between you and me, from one uber romantic to another, it's not.  It's definitely not.

I can tell you that our Valentine's Day date was wonderful.  Cole planned a spectacular evening, and we had a wonderful time, and I felt extremely loved.  I can also tell you that I would have felt equally as loved and as known had we stayed home in our sweats and played Scrabble. (Mostly because I would have beat him mercilessly)

I love Valentine's Day; but I also love knowing that my man does not need a holiday to celebrate us.  He doesn't need an excuse to bring home flowers, or make the bed, or leave love notes everywhere, or take me out on the town.  He does that on a Thursday... or a Monday... or in the middle of the day... just because.

I love getting dressed up and spending a night out; but I also love knowing that he finds me just as beautiful in slippers as he does in high heels.

I love getting flowers or thoughtful gifts; but I also love hearing him pray for me, or coming home to a clean kitchen, or listening to him make up songs to sing to me. I simply love the way he loves me.

And, honestly, I'm learning how little I know of love. But, I have a gracious Teacher and a willing lab partner and we're all in this together for His ultimate glory and our eternal good.


Happy Friday, Friends...



PS - Dear Miss Hicks (high school English teacher),  Please forgive the inordinate number of times that I began sentences with conjunctions.  I know you taught me better than that.  I'll learn someday.

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Valentine's Eve

Warning: Read no further if you're too entirely tired of hearing how wonderful my husband is.


Still with me?  Okay!

Brief Review:  So, on Friday, as if I could forget just how much my husband chooses to love me on a practical, daily basis, he took me - on his own initiative - on a date night to the opening night of The Vow (perhaps the girliest chick flick of all time) just because he knew I had wanted to see it.  In case my memory needed any jogging about how wonderful he is, he babysat two kiddos with me on Saturday night.  Watching him with kids = major swoonage.  And, after working all day on Sunday, I came home to him making dinner for me with strict instructions to stay on the couch.

Then, today happened.

Today was nothing special - just another day at the office.  Cole had class in the morning and was running errands in the afternoon.  After a long day at work, I arrived home and opened the door to this:

Hand-cut hearts that say, "Why I Love My Bride, Laura..."

 He had cut out individual hearts and stuck them ALL.OVER.THE.HOUSE.  with reasons of why he loves me.  Can you say "Swoon"?

 Yes, the one on the lamp says: "For the way you light up my life."  ♥   

 "For watching Sports with me."

 "The way you keep me warm."

 "How you enjoy our life together."

 "How you are my home."

 "For the way you smell."  - on a candle.  Clever man.

 "For the way you cook"

 "For helping me see the importance of garlic."  True story.

 "For being My Love." - on the painting of the place where he proposed.

 "How you took my silly last name." 

 "For your loving heart."

 Every.Where.

I am absolutely speechless.  I stood in the center of our living room with my hand over my mouth just turning in slow circles taking it all in.  I'm certain that I still haven't read all of them.  I'm completely overwhelmed.  This man knows me and knows how to make me feel loved.

Even on a non-holiday.

Well, I'm smitten.


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