It wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day without Corned Beef and Cabbage

I would have posted these pictures yesterday, but I had eaten several cupcakes, drank two whiskey sours, and one Irish car bomb.  This was over a period of hours, but after that I had an epic two person solitaire game (I'll post rules later) with the Husband.
You may be wondering, why would cupcakes have affected my ability to post pictures.  They didn't... but they would have affected my typing, so I put this post off to today to make sure none of you had to suffer through the even worse grammar that would have resulted from my slightly inebriated state.

On to the cooking.

First, Corned beef and Cabbage (and carrots, for alliteration):

Corned beef - cooked to package instructions, cabbage and carrots added to the pot after the meat is removed to cool, and cooked until fork tender.

Now for what you really want, Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes :D

These take some work, but are SO worth it.

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Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes with Cream cheese frosting: Makes 12

For the Cupcakes:
1/2 cup Guinness
1/2 cup butter (melted)
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
6 Tbsp sour cream

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).  Melt the butter (on the stovetop or in the microwave), Add Guinness and cocoa powder and stir to combine well.  In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Stir in egg and sour cream. Add chocolate mixture and stir well. Place cupcake papers in the muffin tin. Spoon the mixture into the tin to fill about .75 full (you'll have enough for 12 cupcakes).  Bake for 17 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool fully.

For the Ganache:
3 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp whiskey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Gently heat cream on the stove-top.  Add chocolate and let sit for a few moments.  Stir gently until chocolate is melted and combined with the cream.  Mix in butter, vanilla, and whiskey.  Allow to cool until thick (I put mine in the fridge).

For the Frosting:
1 8oz. bar of cream cheese, softened
1 4oz. stick of unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
4 – 6 Tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, add the cream cheese, butter, and confectioner’s sugar and beat until light and fluffy, unfortunately I don't have a stand mixer with me right now, so I did this by hand with a whisk... mine was a little less fluffy and more gloopy, but the taste is the same. Slowly drizzle in the Bailey’s, more or less depending on how boozey you want the frosting (I used 6 Tbsp and it was delicious), and beat until completely incorporated into the frosting.

Assemble:
After the cupcakes have cooled, use a small spoon or melon baller (if you have one of those awesome grapefruit spoons with the serrated edge they work really well) to scoop out the centers (and eat them). Spoon in the whiskey ganache evenly to the 12 cupcakes (but try not to have them overflowing). Then frost with the baileys frosting.  I put them in the fridge after to harden the ganache a little, I think it makes them even more delicious :D

And that's it, enjoy!