Vanilla Porter Cupcakes with Caramel Filling and White Chocolate Beer Frosting

Ingredients

Directions

Homemade Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the sour milk* and set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.
4. Add in eggs and beat until thoroughly combined.
5. Alternately add flour/baking powder/salt and milk/vanilla beans and stir gently just until combined.
6. Spoon into prepared cupcake tin and bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Set on a wire rack to cool. After they've cooled, cut a little hole in the top of each one for the caramel filling. Eat the parts you cut out. You know, just to make sure they're good.

Vanilla Porter Caramel Filling

8. In a medium saucepan, heat Thrilla in Vanilla Porter (or other vanilla porter) over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced by half. Reserve about 3 Tbsp to set aside for the frosting. Keep the rest in the pan on the stove.
9. Stir in the butter and sugars and allow to cool, stirring frequently, until a dark amber color.
10. Gradually add the cream, stirring constantly, and cook until smooth (about 3 more minutes).
11. Set aside to cool.
12. When cool, fill up the tops of the cupcakes. Reserve the rest (if you have any) to drizzle over the top. I didn't have any left but I wish I would have saved some.

White Chocolate Beer Frosting

13. Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar until thoroughly combined.
14. Stir in cooled white chocolate and Thrilla in Vanilla Porter. Gradually add in flour until desired consistency is reached. If you like sugary frostings, go ahead and use powdered sugar instead of flour—it's just not my thing.
15. Beat until well-combined.
16. Frost the cupcakes!
17. Devour cupcakes!