Dark Beer Cupcakes

Use your favorite dark beer to make these surprisingly yummy beer cupcakes. The black baking cups are the mug and the frosting looks a lot like foam! Click the alternate view image to see how to make a handle for the mug.

What you need:

Reynolds® Baking Cups (Black Foil)
1 cup dark beer for cake
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 Tb vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/3 cup dark beer for frosting
White dragees
Optional: 1/2 tsp espresso powder

Instructions:

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.  Put baking cups in muffin pans; set aside.

MAKE CAKE

1. Chop butter into 1-inch chunks and place in large sauce pan
2. Add beer and heat to melt butter.
3. Remove from heat, whisk in cocoa and sugar
4. Whisk sour cream with eggs and vanilla, then add to beer/butter mixture
5. Fold flour and baking soda into batter.  If the mixture is thin, consider adding another 1/4 cup of flour.
6. Bake for 25 minutes; cool completely.

MAKE FROSTING

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth
2. Add powdered sugar
3. Add beer and beat until smooth.  
4. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with white dragees while the frosting is still wet.