I would think that Scotch would be good sub especially for that small an amount...Canadian Whiskey would do too!

I'd use the Wild Turkey. Irish Whiskey is not scotch, but more like a bourbon.

Maker's Mark is another Kentucky bourbon. A great one!

I find Irish Whiskey much closer to Scotch than bourbon.

Me too FOAS.....maybe it depends on the type...but that said 1- 2 tsps ain't gonna matter squat.

I have to agree, chase. The amount is minuscule. I would have just left it out, except for the novelty of it. I'm hoping when I get the ganache made, the smell will help me determine whether scotch or bourbon would be better.

I've made that recipe and the ganache really doesn't need it. I'm making it again on Friday but i'm leaving the ganache out because it hardened and I didn't like the texture in the finished product.

One word of advice would be not to use nearly as much powdered sugar as the recipe calls for in the frosting. It makes the frosting harden and sort of chalk-up and it's not nearly as good as when it's creamy. I added extra Baileys to mine and I only added the bare minimum of powdered sugar to get it to piping consistency.

It's an awesome recipe. A tiny bit of espresso powder to the cake makes it absolutely amazing. I also added some of the King Arthur's cake enhancer which gives a really nice texture but most people don't have that sitting around. :)

I would have left it out too, since it's such a small amount.

In the past, I have also bought the small nips they have at the check-out in my liquor store if I need a small amount for baking but I always feel like an alcoholic when I do that!!!

That recipe sounds amazing!

Ohhh, I was just going to say chi83 made that recipe (& had a buttercream question) and posted gorgeous photos last December!

Check out the link...

Here is a link that might be useful: chi83's cupcakes

Another who feels Scotch tastes more like Irish Whisky than bourbon or blended Canadian.

Brandy would probably do well too; I find Irish to be like a very smooth, mild Scotch, without much smokiness or peaty-ness. At least that's how I'd describe Bushmills.

Thanks Sooz. That's exactly what I meant by it getting chalky. I assumed it was the refrigeration at the time, which I'm sure contributed, but I made them again and the same thing happened without refrigeration. But when I added more liquid and rewhipped, it was fine.

Good point on the Scotch. What I have is very very peat-y and smokey. I may go with brandy.

I would use Canadian whiskey, as I much prefer it to Scotch, which I find undrinkable, although I like Irish whiskey. If you want to buy the Irish whiskey, I will post a recipe for Irish Whiskey Pie that will use up more of it - and you can also make Irish coffee. If you already have brandy, I think that is a good choice. I got some very expensive Cognac for Christmas - is that she same as brandy? Not sure what to use cognac for, other than Julia Child's French Onion Soup.

If the ganache got hard, perhaps it really did neet the whiskey to keep it from drying out.

Lars

I did put the whiskey in the ganache. It wasn't really hard, just solid and I didn't really like it because the cake was so soft and then you get this chunk of dense chocolate in the center. But, other people seemed to enjoy it so maybe it was just me!

oohh, Lars. If you'll post the recipe for Irish Whiskey, I'll break down and buy a bottle!

Here's the pie recipe, but it is an Irish Coffee Pie recipe:

Irish Coffee Pie

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, separated
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1 cup whipping cream
1 9-inch granola pie shell*

Garnish:
1 milk chocolate bar (about 6 oz.) at room temperature
1/2 cup whipping cream whipped with
3 tbsp powdered sugar

In a saucepan, blend the gelatin, sugar, and coffee; gradually stir in the milk. Cook over low heat, stirring until the gelatin and sugar are completely dissolved, 5 to 10 minutes. Beat the egg yolks. Stir about half the hot mixture into the yolks. Return all to the pan; cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes. Chill until thick and syrupy - about 30 minutes. Add whiskey to the gelatin mixture and beat until light and frothy.

In another bowl beat egg whites until they form firm but moist peaks; add 1 tbsp sugar; fold into gelatin mixture. Using the same bowl, whip the cream; fold it into the filling. Spread in pie shell. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm. To garnish, whip additional cream with powdered sugar and press through a pastry bag around the perimeter of the pie. Top with handfuls of chocolate curls made by pulling a vegetable peeler firmly across a piece of milk chocolate.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From Cooking with Gourmet Grains, 1971, published by Stone-Buhr Milling Co., Seattle, Washington

*Note: the cookbook included a recipe for the pie crust using some of their products which are no longer available. A granola pie crust can be bought at most markets these days, or you could substitute a graham cracker crust, but I really like the granola crust with this.

Lars

Thanks, Lars. This may make it worth it to buy a bottle of Bushmills!

Here's an interesting article on a Guide to Irish Whiskey.

Here is a link that might be useful: Guide to Irish Whiskey

Well, I was up and at it early this morning. Because I made the ganache before the liquor stores opened, I couldn't buy the Irish whiskey as planned. I did a taste test with vodka and with brandy (I put a dab of chocolate on a spoon then poured a little of each into the spoon held over my coffee cup...waste not!) The brandy seemed to go better with the chocolate.

I don't think I overfilled the cupcake liners, but I only got 22 cupcakes, rather than the 24 the recipe predicts.

Mine are not a pretty as chi83's, although they are vaguely similar. DH and I test drove one. Pretty tasty, if I say so myself!

Do you have pictures? :)

Chi, I didn't make any pictures. Mine were not picture worthy. I did not have the proper equipment to make roses like yours. I used my cookie press and a decorating tip that sort of looked like a serated knife on each side, sort of like a flattened star. I made a coil of frosting on each cupcake. It was much neater than spreading with a knife, but nothing to write home about.

I used an apple corer to cut the divots out of each cupcake. I was pleased to discover that my cookie press came with a tip for filling jelly doughnuts. It made getting the ganache into the cupcakes a snap!

Good! I made them last night and I have them sitting on my desk for coworkers, but my frosting fell apart and is separating a bit. It still tastes okay but the texture is off. I need to master this as I love the flavor but it takes a cup of the Baileys (quadruple recipe) so I am having trouble with the texture to offset the moisture without it getting super sweet.

I made a soft ganache instead by using 2 parts cream to 1 part chocolate and I like it better, it's almost like a mousse.

Wow! That is so nice of you to share these with the office! It took me all day to make the cupcakes, but that is probably because I was working from home while I made them. So, I'd do one step, work a little, do another step, work a little. It resulted in all parts being thoroughly cooled.

My ganache stayed soft. Wonder if it is because I didn't cool it in fridge? Did you have to put yours in the fridge?

I was somewhat unsure about the buttercream too. I found a You Tube video that showed the 3 different consistencies for buttercream. I chose to make something between the middle and the firm. I didn't want too much confectioner's sugar. Sometimes I think it gives frosting a wonky flavor.

And I can tell you piled your frosting higher than I did (and with more pizzaz)! I frosted all 22 cupcakes with one recipe of icing. Of those, 2 were just a light coating for DH and me to "test."

Here is a link that might be useful: Buttercream frosting consistency

I made the frosting last night and then re-whipped it with a little more liquid this morning before piping so I wonder if that caused some of the problems since it was still cold when I whipped it. Everyone says they taste really good but I'm a perfectionist and it's bothering me that it could be better! Someday I'll get it right. I adore the cake!

I did put my ganache in the fridge overnight the first time, but they sat at room temperature for 12 hours before the party but they were still hard. I really like this texture better.

I haven't had this in a long time. My grandmother, who was Irish, use to make it. Just reading it again makes me want to go out and buy some Irish Whiskey to make it.

Irish Tea Brack

1 lb. sultana or other yellow raisins
1 lb. dark seedless raisins or dried currants
2 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups strong black tea
2 cups Irish whiskey
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoon apple pie spice
2 beaten eggs

Soak the fruit with the sugar in the tea and whiskey in a large bowl overnight.

Preheat oven to 375.

Add the flour, eggs, baking powder, and spices to the fruit mixture.

Mix all the ingredients together well and put in greased bread pans.

Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool in the pan slightly before turning out to cool fully on rack.

Cookbook: Irish cooking; Classic and Modern Recipes by Ethel Minogue. (c. 1988)

Wow! Is it like a fruit cake? Heavy and boozy? Sounds interesting.

Linda - It has been so long I can't remember what it was like exactly. Maybe like Boston Brown Bread. We use to have it with a pot of tea. My tea was half milk and lots of sugar when I was young. I guess I will have to go out and get some Irish Whiskey, even though I don't drink anymore, and make it.
Clare