Baileys Irish Cream Cupcakes with Guinness Buttercream

• Pour the beer into a saucepan, and over low heat reduce the Guinness to about 1/4 cup.

Cupcakes

• In one bow,l sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• In the bowl of an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until thick and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then scrape down the bowl. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat to combine.
• Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the flour mixture in thirds alternating with the Baileys, mixing to incorporate with each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed and beat until just combined and smooth, and don't overmix. Divide the batter evenly into a 12-count lined muffin or cupcake pan, filling 2/3 full.
• Bake for 20-23 minutes at 350 °F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before frosting.

Buttercream

• Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed or a hand mixer; add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium, add vanilla extract, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the reduced and cooled Guinness, and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add the remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add the remaining Guinness 1 tablespoon at a time.
• If you run out of Guinness, you can use milk or cream to thin out the buttercream.
• Frost-cooled cupcakes using a spreader or a piping bag. Depending on how much frosting you use on each cupcake, some may be leftover.