Guinness Stout Mini Bundt Cakes with Baileys Buttercream

• Preheat oven to 350 Deg. F. Grease either a 6 space mini bundt pan or a 12 cup bundt pan generously with butter, making sure it’s well covered
• Melt the butter with the Guinness in a saucepan over medium heat, once the butter is melted bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and keep stirring until the mixture is thickened and all the cocoa powder is fully mixed in. Set aside to cool
• Sift together the flour, sugar, espresso powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a bowl of a stand mixer whisk together the yogurt and eggs until combined, add in the cooled butter-Guinness mixture and vanilla extract and mix again until thickened.
• Add in the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
• Pour into prepared pan, distributing evenly in the mini pan, just slightly over half full in each space ( or all the batter if using a 12 cup bundt pan) and bake for 20-25 min until done. (30-35 if using larger pan)
• Cool for 10 min in pan and using a small spatula gently pull away sides to make sure they aren’t sticking. Invert the pan using a wire cooling rack and gently lift the bundt pan away. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Caramel Sauce :

• Slightly heat up the sauce (Microwave for 30 seconds in a glass bowl is fine) and add in 1 tablespoon of the whiskey and stir well. Taste and add in the other tablespoon if desired. Drizzle over frosted cakes.
• Notes: I only have one 6-space mini bundt pans so I had to make the cakes in two batches. I let the pan fully cool down, washed it and re-greased it before baking the second batch. I kept the remaining batter at room temperature. The second batch of cakes rose just as well as the first did.

• In a bowl of a stand mixer whisk together the egg whites, sugar and pinch of salt
• Heat over a pan of simmering water, make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160 deg f and feels slippery to the touch.
• Immediately place the bowl back on the stand mixer, attach the whisk attachment and slowly raise the speed to high. Whip on high about 7-9 minutes or until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Lower the speed to medium and add in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until all added in. Mix again on high to fully incorporate the butter and have the buttercream come together. Lower the speed again and add in the Baileys and mix until well incorporated and then mix again on high to bring it back to the right consistency. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and scrape all the buttercream off the whisk attachment and slowly stir with a spatula to remove air bubbles. It is now ready to pipe or spread on cakes.
• Notes : this is half my normal recipe since my normal makes enough frosting for a two layer 9 inch cake or piped on 36 cupcakes.