'Kitchen Sink' Stout Cupcakes

This year my husband has started a new hobby, home brewing his own beer. I don't mind, it keeps him busy and saves us money on beer. I say 'us', it's not like I drink much of it. I'd rather he brewed Bucks Fizz, but that's not gonna happen!

One of the most recent brews was a stout, with a few added extras. He wanted to add some extra flavours, so in went the 85% dark chocolate, black treacle and brown sugar. After trying this very dark and rich brew he decided he would like a pie made from it, I wanted cake - so I made both.

Here is the recipe for the richest and darkest cupcakes you will probably ever eat! I realise you can't use our homebrew but Young's Double Chocolate Stout  will work just as well, or even just a normal stout, the cocoa in the recipe will still give the cakes a nice chocolate flavour.

'Kitchen Sink' Stout Cupcakes

Cake Ingredients (makes 12 - 18 cupcakes)

250ml (9 fl oz) stout (use the rest to make a pie!)

250g (9oz) unsalted butter

75g (3oz) cocoa powder

400g (14oz) light brown sugar

142ml (5 fl oz) sour cream

2 medium egg(s)

1 tbsp vanilla extract

275g (10oz) plain flour

2.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Frosting Ingredients

75g (3oz) butter

200g (7oz) cream cheese

400g (14oz) icing sugar sifted

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Line a deep cake tin with 12 cupcake cases.

2. Add the stout to a saucepan and place on a medium heat then add the butter - chunks will melt quicker. When the butter is melted add in the cocoa and sugar, then whisk until combined. 

3. Remove the pan from the heat. In a separate bowl mix the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla then add to the melted stout mixture. Then sieve in the flour and bicarb and combine all the ingredients until thick and gloopy.

4. Spoon the mixture into the cake cases until half to two thirds full, then bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of a cake. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool.

5. For the frosting make sure the butter is nice and soft then beat with the cream cheese (juice removed). Slowly sift in the icing sugar until your desired consistency is reached. You may find you need to add more or less sugar depending on how thick you like your frosting. Frost the cakes when cool and try not to eat them all in one go!