My friend Jaclyn had a great idea: the Make Cupcakes, Not War Bake-Off, for which she implored us all to create cupcakes that could inspire world peace.
So I started thinking about world peace. What could possibly bring about peace in this day and age? I don't know, what if everybody just chilled the fuck out and had a beer? Or, even better, a beer cupcake!
Does anything make people happier than beer and cupcakes? Not that I know of. And happy people don't go to war, do they? Nope.
This is how the Beer Not Bombs Cupcake was born. I started with M. Stew's recipe for Stout Cupcakes from my favorite cupcake cookbook, replacing the stout with Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar. Top that with Left Hand Milk Stout Frosting and candied hazelnuts and you've got a cupcake that guarantees global peace, love, and happiness.
Unless people start fighting over the last cupcake. So make a big batch.
Hazelnut Ale Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1-1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
1-1/4 cups unsulfured molasses
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 large whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (optional)
1-1/4 cups Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, poured and settled
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat oil, molasses, brown sugar, whole eggs, yolk, zest, and beer until combined. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, about 20 minutes.
4. Once completely cool, top with Milk Stout Frosting and candied hazelnuts.
5. Don't forget to polish off the rest of that Hazelnut Nectar while baking.
Milk Stout Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2-2/3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup Left Hand Milk Stout
1. With an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioners' sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Frosting should be pale and fluffy.
3. Add Milk Stout to taste. My taste was about 3/4 cup. Beat until beer is fully combined.
4. Don't forget to polish off the rest of that Milk Stout while frosting.
Candied Hazelnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
1. Spray a non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring.
2. Cook until syrup comes to a boil. Boil, swirling occasionally, until mixture becomes light amber.* Don't walk away from the pan. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in hazelnuts with a wooden spoon and make sure they're coated completely. Immediately spread hazelnuts in a single layer onto baking sheet. Let cool completely, breaking apart into smaller pieces if necessary.
*This will take 10-15 minutes, and will feel like a year and a half. You're going to want to drink a beer or two while you wait.
