Potato Chips are definitely Irish...even with chocolate on them

Every St. Patrick's Day I make Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes. There's not really a great story behind it except for the fact that they remind of the very first St. Patrick's Day I saw my husband completely wasted. We ended the night almost having the cops called on us for doing the Irish jig in my sister's apartment. He had also been a declared "straight edge" for several years, only being 20 at the time, so this was quite the scene....many car bombs later.

I don't use fondant. I don't eat fondant. It just tastes too artificial for me. Each year I make these cupcakes, I try to think of a good decoration which must be edible. This year I thought, "What goes better with beer and booze than a potato chip?!"  I also got the idea after enjoying a late night snack of Lay's chips and on the bag it specifically read "Recipe for a perfect night: 1)Handful of Wavy Chips; 2) Sprinkle of Chocolate Chips; 3) 20 seconds in the microwave. Instant sweet and savory satisfaction."  Who in their right mind would ever question why this would be good and why would it be on a cupcake?!?!  My brother did. I replied, "Jeff are kidding me?!?  It's a CHOCOLATE COVERED POTATO CHIP! It's amazing by itself then when you put it on an Irish Car Bomb cupcake....Oh Man!!....so good!" He said again, " Yeah, but why a potato chip?" I told him " Duh, beer and chips!"  As I told this story to my friend the next day, it occurred to me that potatoes are totally an Irish staple and somehow subconsciously I knew this, which is why I also knew it would be amazing on an Irish Car Bomb cupcake. Which, of course, it was.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Make 24

Cupcakes:
3/4 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
2 cups flour
3/4 cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
3/4  tsp baking powder
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup Guinness

Filling:
8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 heavy whipping cream
4 TB whiskey

Frosting:
4 stick butter
4 cups powdered sugar
4 TB Bailey's Caramel Flavor

Preheat oven to 350.

For cupcakes:
Cream together butter and sugar.  Crack open eggs in a separate bowl to come to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.

When sugar and butter is combined, add eggs and vanilla. Be sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Measure milk and beer.

Slowly add dry ingredients to the sugar and egg mixture, alternating with the milk and beer.

Bake for bout 18 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. 

For the Filling:
Over a double boiler or in the microwave, melt chocolate and 1/4 heavy cream together. Add whiskey. You may want to add more depending on how strong you want it to be. Set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Once the chocolate is cool to the touch, fold a small amount of whipped cream into it. Gradually add the rest and refrigerate for at least one hour.

For the Frosting:
Beat 4 sticks of butter in your mixer until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and Bailey's until smooth.

For the Chocolate Covered Potato Chip:
Buy a bag of Lay's Wavy Potato Chips. Read the back of the bag and follow those directions.
Or you can dip your chips in your melted chocolate for the filling before, or after you add the whiskey!

Assembly:
Using a sharp paring knife, carve out small quarter sized holes in the cupcakes. My husband love snacking on these later.  If you want more Guinness flavor in your cupcake, brush the tops with some beer.
I usually use a pastry bag but you can use a spoon to fill each cupcake with the whiskey mousse filling.
Pipe frosting on and top with a chocolate potato chip.
Enjoy immediately and with friends over a pint of Guinness. Then repeat.

So yes...potato chips, especially covered in chocolate, make the perfect decor for an Irish Car Bomb cupcake, Jeff! Or any cupcake for that matter!

Oh and they were devoured by several crew members from  WPLR Chaz and AJ morning show!!! I even got a shout out on the radio the next day...but I missed it $%#@^*!