In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, beer takes the kitchen spotlight each March. Even if you’re not much of a beer drinker, this sudsy ingredient adds a wonderful depth of flavor without overpowering a recipe. I love the idea of adding a splash to Corned Beef or Irish Stew, but this year my mind was set on cupcakes.

I enjoy a light lager on game day or a crisp IPA with my Friday night pizza, but, to me, stout is the ultimate treat. I’ve never been to Ireland, and I am no connoisseur when it comes to how to pour the perfect pint, but I can appreciate its deliciousness all the same. With its smooth chocolate and coffee notes, stout will be your next secret weapon in baking.

Dave Lieberman’s Chocolate Stout Cupcakes are the perfect treats to please a party crowd. The taste of stout beer is subtle but becomes delectably more noticeable with each bite. Even if you can’t distinguish the actual beer flavor, it enhances the chocolate and makes for a rich, not-too-sweet cupcake. Top it off with velvety cream cheese icing and you’ve found your pot of gold.

Here are a few things to consider before making this recipe:

• In the spirit of the Irish, I recommend using Guinness. But any good stout will work well.
• Bring all of your cake ingredients to room temperature before mixing. The melted butter will seize if you add a cold bottle of brew.
• For the icing, add the cream gradually. I added 3/4 cup right away and the consistency was a bit loose (though still delicious).
•  I like to add a little bit of vanilla to my cream cheese frosting. It tasted fabulous with this recipe.