The Bewitching Bailey's Cupcake

This cupcake quickly became a St. Patty's Day favorite around work, my friends, and my family. In fact, this little beauty took three years for me to perfect and was the cupcake that set this adventure in motion.

Here's how you make the magic happen:

For the cakes~
2/3 cup of unsalted butter, at room temp
2 cups granulated sugar
2 lg eggs, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup of Irish cream
2/3 cup of water
2 TBSP instant coffee granules
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with a mixer. Add eggs and salt and beat well. In a separate bowl,  combine the liqueur, water and instant coffee. Mix well. Set aside. In a third bowl, thoroughly combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture and liqueur mixture to the creamed butter/sugar mix, in an alternating pattern. Beat on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes. Place 24 liners into the cupcake pan. Fill the liners 3/4 full and bake for about 20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

 For the Frosting ~
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temp
3-4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp of Irish Cream
Green sugar crystals (optional)

While the cupcakes cool, cream the butter on high speed for approximately 3 minutes. Add the Irish cream and mix thoroughly. Slowly add in the powdered sugar until well blended and desired consistency is reached. Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with green sugar crystals. Watch them vanish into thin air.