Irish Colcannon & Apple Cupcakes with Whiskey Glaze

This weekend, we celebrated St. Patty's Day with a number of close friends. It started as a casual afternoon get-together and somewhere throughout the course of the evening, the living room exploded into a raging dance floor. Leave it to us to help the Irish celebrate with some damn good song and dance. Luckily, we had filled up on Irish favorites earlier in the day, including bangers and Colcannon, and apple cupcakes with whiskey frosting. Give these recipes a try for an easy jump start to your St. Patty's Day! 

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes stuffed with cabbage. My version uses kale and green onions along with thyme butter. It's hearty and comforting and a perfect way to kick off St. Patty's day. 

8 Russet Potatoes, skin on
1.5 C. Kale, stems removed
1 T. Olive oil
6 green onions, diced
3/4 C. Sour cream
1 stick of Butter, at room temp
1/4 C. Milk
2 T. Thyme
S&P

Place the potatoes in a large pot filled with enough water to cover the potatoes. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a rapid boil. When a fork can easily be inserted into the potatoes, carefully remove them and transfer them to a large boil. 

Bring the pot of water back to a boil and add the kale. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the kale is a bright green. Remove from the heat and drain. 

In a small boil, combine the butter and thyme. Set aside until ready to serve. 

Using a potato masher, crush the potatoes until they are a smooth consistency. (Don't use a hand mixer or you'll end up with gummy potatoes). 

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil and when it glistens, add 3/4 of the green onion. Sauté until lightly browned. Add to the potatoes, along with the sour cream and kale. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. 

To serve, form a nest with the colcannon with a well in the center. Add a tablespoon of thyme butter into the well and allow it to melt. Garnish with the remaining green onion. Serve with bangers. 

Apple Cupcakes with Whiskey Glaze

Your favorite white or yellow cake batter (shh...I used a box)
1.5 apples, cored and diced
1 T. Cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
2 C. Powdered sugar
3 T whiskey
Preheat the oven to 350.
Add the apples, cinnamon and nutmeg to the cake batter. Toss to combine.
Fill the cupcake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing the cupcakes from the pan.
In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and whiskey. Stir with a fork until smooth. You may need to adjust the amount of sugar or whiskey. Just remember, a little bit of liquid goes a looong way!
Drizzle the cooled cupcakes with the glaze. 

Easy Guinness Cupcakes with Chocolate Whiskey Frosting

Happy St. Patty's Day!  I know the internet is littered with similar recipes, but I couldn't refrain from taking part.  It's fun to cater your menu around the holidays and these cupcakes turned out so well, that I had to share them.  This is my EASY version of the impressive originals.  The cake is dark and flavorful with a slightly bitter taste from the Guinness and is complemented perfectly by the sweet and subtle whiskey flavored chocolate frosting.

Guinness Cupcakes

1 Chocolate cake mix

2 T. cocoa powder

1 t. instant coffee powder

3 Eggs

1/2 C. applesauce

1 1/3 C. Guinness

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray and flour cupcake pans.  

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.  Fill the cupcake pans 1/2 way full with the batter.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick skewered into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.  Cool before frosting.  

Chocolate Whiskey Frosting

1 Container of your favorite chocolate frosting

1 1/2 T. Whiskey

Gently fold together the two ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  If you'd like your frosting to taste more like Whiskey, add more, but the frosting will become more like a ganache, instead of a firmer cake frosting.  

Tres Leches Cupcakes

A few weeks ago, two of Sean’s very good friends got married!  We had been invited to their engagement party, but it turned out to be their wedding reception!  It was a fun surprise and I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen two people who are more in love and made for one another.  We hope they have a happy life together and that their love will continue to grow forever and always.  

The engagement party-turned-wedding reception was catered by the bride’s mom and it was absolutely fabulous.  She is originally from Honduras, so we had pulled pork, black rice and beans, enchiladas and an oyster bar!  Sean and I were so impressed by the delicious food that we attempted to recreate the pulled pork at home.  We made two batches and the entire house was filled with the fragrant aroma of slow cooked pork, orange and garlic.  Although we still have some perfecting to do, our meal was scrumptious. 

It got me thinking.  What would be an appropriate finish to our Latin feast?  My brain swirled around fried plantains and ice cream, and flan, and finally rested on Tres Leches Cupcakes.  I’ve made Tres Leches Cake several times before and I’ve always found it to be incredibly satisfying. 

These Tres Leches Cupcakes are just as enchanting.  Small chilled cakes, dowsed in a sweet cinnamon cream and served with whipped cream frosting – what’s not to like after a spicy and dynamic main course?

1 white or yellow cake mix and the ingredients it requires*

¼ C. sweetened condensed milk

¾ C. whole milk

½ t. cinnamon

1 pint of whipping cream + 2 T. of sugar

Raspberries

White chocolate, for garnish

*I haven’t mastered baking yet, so I take advantage of store-bought help – why not?

Bake the cupcakes according to the mix’s instructions.  Allow them to cool completely. 

While the cupcakes are baking, mix together the two kinds of milk in a small bowl.  Set in the refrigerator to chill. 

In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Add the sugar and whip until very stiff peaks form – you’ll want them to be stiff so that they can stand up on the cupcakes.  Set the whipped cream in the fridge to keep it cool. 

When the cupcakes have cooled, take a spoon and scoop out a small portion of the cake’s top.  Gently spoon some of the milk mixture into the cupcake and allow it to soak in.  Place the top back on the cupcake.  **I have experimented with poking holes in the cake, which is normally how I’ll make Tres Leches sheet cake.  However, the milk mixture tends to drip right down the sides, instead of soaking in.  So, for the cupcakes which are more delicate and visible from all sides, I use the scoop technique (a very technical term) ** 

Pipe the whipped cream on top of the cupcakes and sprinkle with cinnamon, for that finished look.  If you desire, garnish your cupcakes with berries and white chocolate designs for an elegant touch.