Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting

- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (500 mL)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (250 mL)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (250 mL)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (7 mL)
- 3/4 tsp salt (4 mL)
- 3/4 tsp Stash Licorice Spice tea (approximately 1 finely ground tea bag) (4 mL)
- 1 cup Guinness (250 mL)
- 1 cup canola oil (250 mL)
- 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (175 mL)
- 2 eggs (2)
- 2/3 cup 5% sour cream (150 mL)
Mocha Frosting
- 3/4 cup canola margarine (175 mL)
- 4 cups icing sugar (1 L)
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp espresso powder (20 mL)
- 1 Tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder (15 mL)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (75 mL)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (2 mL)
- dark chocolate curls
Chocolate Stout Cupcake
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two cupcake pans with 24 large paper cups.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and licorice spice into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Whisk together Guinness and canola oil in a medium sized bowl. Add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream to blend.
5. Add stout mixture to egg mixture and beat until incorporated.
6. Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl, and beat until incorporated.
7. Fill lined cupcake pans halfway with batter. Bake for 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cupcake comes out clean.
Mocha Frosting
1. Using an electric mixer, beat margarine until fluffy in a large bowl.
2. Add icing sugar in stages, alternating with almond milk.
3. Add cocoa, espresso, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
4. Once cupcakes have cooled, load frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe each cupcake, beginning from the edge of the cupcake and working in a circular motion towards the centre.
5. Garnish with chocolate curls.