I have entered a cupcake contest. My first! Just at a local bakery but I am looking forward to it.
The theme is Beer and Green. I am having a hard time finding a recipe that includes beer for my cupcakes. The stout recipe I tried was very dense almost like a brownie. Does anyone have a recipe that is lighter and more cake like.

Thanks

I had these turn out well ... like she says in the post, it adds richness and balances the sweetness. Let me know how it turns out for you!
[url]
http://www.bigcitylittlekitchen.com/2007/07/06/beer-cupcakes/[/url]

Here is a recipe from another CC member that uses Guinness. I haven't tried it yet, but - a true Irish beer for a good Irish holiday! this is a double recipe and is easily halved.

Guinness WASC - by Lindambc
2 chocolate cake mixes
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
8 eggs
2 2/3 cup guinness, pour it into a bowl before hand to get rid of bubbles
4 tbsp. oil
2 cup sour cream
3 tsp. vanilla

I also use Guinness in the recipe I use from Tish Boyle of The Cake Book. It not light but not too dense, either...Recv'd rave reviews from my hubby and his friends! Oh, and I poured ganache on top..I think it made a huge diff, so not sure if that would change things!

Thanks everybody, I will give it a try.

I use this recipe for Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes and have gotten many requests for it as well as everyone says it's delish. I think so too. I don't remember where I got it from though.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients
1 cup Guinness
1 stick, plus 1 TBLS. un-salted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 TBLS. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 1/2 TSP. baking soda

Cupcake Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350; line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the Guinness and the butter, chopped into 1-inch chunks, in a large sauce pan, and heat to melt the butter.
3. Remove from heat, and whisk in the cocoa and sugar.
4. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream and the eggs and vanilla, then add to the beer mixture.
5. Sift together the flour and baking soda, and fold in the batter.
6. Pour into muffin molds and bake or 25 minutes, or until inserted cake tester comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from muffin tin, and cool completely on a rack.

Frosting Ingredients
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Bailey's Irish Cream
Jameson Irish Whiskey

Frosting Directions
1. Put the stick of room-temperature butter in a large mixing bowl and bet at medium-to0high speed for a few minutes.
2. Add a few short glugs of Bailey's and a tiny bit of Jameson, and mix at low speed.
3. Gradually spoon confectioners' sugar into the bowl, mixing on low speed.

Guinness Cupcakes with Espresso Crunch Frosting
Makes 24 cupcakes

For cupcakes:
1 stick unsalted butter
12 oz. Guinness
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. granulated sugar
¾ c. natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
¾ c. sour cream
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill two 12-count muffin pans with paper baking cups.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, Guinness and vanilla. Stir occasionally until butter is melted. Pour into a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, gradually combine with the Guinness mixture in three additions. Beat in the sour cream, then beat in the eggs one by one.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup about three-quarters full. Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Leave in the pan to cool for 5 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack. Frost when cooled completely.

For frosting:
3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. butter (5 1/3 tbs.), cut into cubes and softened
1 tbsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 3 tbs. water (I often add a little more)

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer on low speed to combine. Pour in the espresso mixture and continue beating on medium-high until frosting is smooth and creamy. If frosting is too thick, add water a couple drops at a time to reach desired consistency. Makes just enough for 24 cupcakes if you are not overly generous with the icing. After icing each cupcake, I also topped them with Espresso Crunch

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1332697