An Irish Good Thing

When I was looking through the April issue of Martha Stewart Living yesterday, I came across a recipe for Irish Coffee Cupcakes and knew I had to make these. Irish Coffee is one of those drinks that put me in the mood to celebrate. There is this one Irish pub that we always stop in to get an Irish Coffee when we go to San Francisco. Even in the summer San Francisco can be chilly and foggy, so it is always a treat to stop in and have a hot drink with some spirit. This recipe isn't online yet, so if you want to make these you will have to get it from the magazine or e-mail me.

The cupcake has two tablespoons of instant espresso powder that is dissolved in boiling water and once cooled you add milk to it. This is added alternately with the flour mixture and makes for a smooth and creamy batter.

The frosting is heavy whipping cream with one tablespoon of confectioners' sugar and one tablespoon of whiskey. Irish whiskey would have been the whiskey of choice, but I used what I had in the cupboard. You beat the cream until stiff peaks form.

The result is an Irish Coffee confection. When you take a bite of the espresso cupcake mixed with whiskey-laced whipped cream it is Irish Coffee heaven and  it is a very good thing.