Sounds weird, tastes great!! This unusual chocolate cupcake is so, so good. The cocoa, beer, and sauerkraut combination makes for an exquisite pairing you have simply must try! Easy to make, this beer cupcake recipe is unique and fabulous.

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Recipe

Do not let this crazy ingredient cupcake recipe put you off. It is DELICIOUS!!! While beer cakes are not unusual, the sauerkraut is certainly a bit of an odd ingredient in a cupcake. But, you cannot taste or smell sauerkraut brine in the cupcakes you have cooked in the oven. Once baked, the sauerkraut tastes like candied peel. The frosting is simply divine. Your friends and family will be asking for a second, and third, cupcake!

This is the ultimate in Oktoberfest food – a cupcake that contains both beer and sauerkraut! While you can find many main dish Oktoberfest recipes, an Oktoberfest dessert is more difficult to find. Until now.

Ok, so when my niece gave me this recipe last year, I went on a hunt to learn more about Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, and why I should use it. Dutch Processed Cocoa is also called alkalized, European style, or Dutched cocoa. There is a lot of information out there about Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, but this seemed to be the easiest for me to understand:

Dutch-process cocoa powder starts with cocoa beans that have been washed in alkaline solution of potassium carbonate. This wash neutralizes their acidity. So, dutch-process cocoa powder is neutral. Because it is neutral, it does not react with baking soda. It’s often paired with baking powder.

Alkalizing cocoa makes it darker in color, mellow in flavor, and dissolves easily into liquids. Oreo cookies are made from dutched cocoa! Yum.

Read more at Sally’s Baking Addiction

Dutch process cocoa has a smoother, more mellow flavor that’s often associated with earthy, woodsy notes. There are also heavily Dutched “black” cocoa powders that bring the cocoa powder to an alkaline level of 8. Since Dutch process cocoa isn’t acidic, it doesn’t react with alkaline leaveners like baking soda to produce carbon dioxide. That’s why recipes that use Dutch process cocoa are usually leavened by baking powder, which has a neutral pH.

Read more at Serious Eats

And yes, there is baking powder as well as baking soda in this recipe.

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1½ cup Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 1 cup Beer (stout is best)
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• ½ cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
• 2¼ cup Sifted Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 2/3 cup Sauerkraut

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Mise en Place:

• Cupcake Pan (18)
• Cupcake Liners (to fit the pan)
• Stand Mixer + paddle attachment (you can use a whip if you like)
• Measuring Cup
• Measuring Spoons
• Spatula
• Sifter
• Bowl

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Directions:

• Line cupcake pan cups with 18 cupcake liners. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°.

• Using paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream 2/3 cup Unsalted Butter and 1½ cup Sugar until smooth.

• Add 3 eggs – one at a time, beating until well mixed scraping down the sides as needed.

• Add 1 cup beer.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Sift together ½ cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, 2¼ cup Sifted Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder and 1 tsp Baking Soda in a separate bowl.

• Gradually add sifted dry ingredients to wet ingredients.

• Fold in sauerkraut by hand.

• Fill prepared cupcake pan cupcake cups with batter, approximately 2/3 – ¾ full.

• Bake for 15-20 mins until tester comes out smooth.

• Cool on baking rack.

Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Recipe

Print Recipe

Sounds weird, tastes great!! This unusual chocolate cupcake is so, so good. The cocoa, beer, and sauerkraut combination makes for an exquisite pairing you have simply must try! Easy to make, this beer cupcake recipe is unique and fabulous.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Yield: 18

• 2/3 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1½ cup Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 1 cup Beer (stout is best)
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• ½ cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
• 2¼ cup sifted Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 2/3 cup Sauerkraut

Instructions

• Line cupcake pan cups with 18 cupcake liners. Set aside.

• Preheat oven to 350°.

• Using paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream 2/3 cup Unsalted Butter and 1½ cup Sugar until smooth.

• Add 3 eggs - one at a time, beating until well mixed scraping down the sides as needed.

• Add 1 cup beer.

• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

• Sift together ½ cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, 2¼ cup Sifted Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder and 1 tsp Baking Soda in a separate bowl.

• Gradually add sifted dry ingredients to wet ingredients.

• Fold in sauerkraut by hand.

• Fill prepared cupcake pan cupcake cups with batter, approximately 2/3 - ¾ full.

• Bake for 15-20 mins until tester comes out smooth.

• Cool on baking rack.

Recommended Products

• 
  Rachael Ray Oven Lovin' Non-Stick 12-Cup Muffin and Cupcake Pan, Orange
• 
  KitchenAid KP26M1XER 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer - Empire Red
• 
  Bellemain Stainless Steel 3 Cup Flour Sifter

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

18
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0

• Frost with the Chocolate Beer Frosting recipe below!

Chocolate Beer Frosting Recipe

Print Recipe

Make this fabulous homemade frosting the next time you are looking for a unique frosting recipe for your cake, brownies, or bars. This chocolate beer frosting recipe is simple to make, and is ready in just a few minutes. This chocolate frosting can be piped, textured, petaled, used a smooth frosting and more!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Yield: 3 cups

• ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 3½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1/3 cup Beer (stout is best)

Instructions

• Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream butter and half (1¾ cups) of the powdered sugar.

• Add 1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, 1/8 tsp salt and about 1/3 (about 2 tablespoons) of the beer. Beat until smooth.

• Alternated adding the remaining powdered sugar (1¾ cups) and beer (about 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) and beat until fluffy.

• Frost cooled cupcakes, cakes, brownies, etc.

• This frosting can be flat (smooth) frosted, put in a piping bag and piped, or textured.

Recommended Products

• 
  KitchenAid KP26M1XER 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer - Empire Red
• 
  Spring Chef Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Metal Measuring Spoons for Dry or Liquid, Fits in Spice Jar, Set of 6
• 
  Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0

Need another cupcake recipe? You may enjoy these easy to make, from-scratch cupcake recipes:

• Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe – A moist and scrumptious carrot cake recipe. These from scratch carrot cake cupcakes are a taste of spicy deliciousness that are easy to make. Frosted or unfrosted this carrot cake recipe is simply fabulous.

• This Perfect Chocolate Cupcake Recipe really is perfectly delicious! So chocolately good, moist and flavorful – your entire family will love these chocolate cupcakes.

• Raspberry Rose Cupcakes – These Raspberry Rose Cupcakes are as delicious as they are adorable. The buzz will be strong when you serve these Raspberry Rose Cupcakes at your next family function, after dinner dessert or packed in a school lunch box!

• Disclosure the links in this post may be affiliate links.

• For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

• If you enjoyed this post, be sure to sign up for the Ann’s Entitled Life weekly newsletter, and never miss another article!

Make this fabulous homemade frosting the next time you are looking for a unique frosting recipe for your cake, brownies, or bars. This chocolate beer frosting recipe is simple to make, and is ready in just a few minutes. This chocolate frosting can be piped, textured, petaled, used a smooth frosting and more!

Chocolate Beer Frosting Recipe

This unique, easy to make chocolate and beer frosting recipe pairs perfectly with this Beer and Sauerkraut Cupcakes Recipe! (Also unique, but wow is it good!)

I think this chocolate beer frosting is comparable to a buttercream frosting for spreading. It is made with butter, but the beer is used for the liquid, and not cream.

You “should” have enough frosting for 24 cupcakes, a 13″x9″ pan cake or brownies, or an 8″ double round cake. The yield is approximately 3 cups. As with all frosting recipes, if you like a thicker layer of frosting on your treat, make more frosting! You do not necessarily need to make a double batch, a batch and a half is usually enough for most frosting lovers. Even me. I eat cake for the frosting! I am not kidding. I cannot tell you how often I will eat all the frosting off of a piece of cake and leave 80% of the cake behind! For me, cake is simply the holder of my frosting.

Chocolate Beer Frosting Ingredients:

• ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 3½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1/3 cup Beer (stout is best)

Chocolate Beer Frosting Mise en Place:

• Stand Mixer + paddle attachment (you can use a whip if you like)
• Measuring Cup
• Measuring Spoons
• Spatula

Chocolate Beer Frosting Directions:

• Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream butter and half (1¾ cups) of the powdered sugar.

• Add 1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, 1/8 tsp salt and about 1/3 (about 2 tablespoons) of the beer. Beat until smooth.

• Alternated adding the remaining powdered sugar (1¾ cups) and beer (about 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) and beat until fluffy.

• Frost cooled cupcakes, cakes, brownies, etc.
• This frosting can be flat (smooth) frosted, put in a piping bag and piped, or textured.

Chocolate Beer Frosting Recipe

Print Recipe

Make this fabulous homemade frosting the next time you are looking for a unique frosting recipe for your cake, brownies, or bars. This chocolate beer frosting recipe is simple to make, and is ready in just a few minutes. This chocolate frosting can be piped, textured, petaled, used a smooth frosting and more!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Yield: 3 cups

• ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 3½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1/3 cup Beer (stout is best)

Instructions

• Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream butter and half (1¾ cups) of the powdered sugar.

• Add 1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, 1/8 tsp salt and about 1/3 (about 2 tablespoons) of the beer. Beat until smooth.

• Alternated adding the remaining powdered sugar (1¾ cups) and beer (about 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) and beat until fluffy.

• Frost cooled cupcakes, cakes, brownies, etc.

• This frosting can be flat (smooth) frosted, put in a piping bag and piped, or textured.

Recommended Products

• 
  KitchenAid KP26M1XER 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer - Empire Red
• 
  Spring Chef Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Metal Measuring Spoons for Dry or Liquid, Fits in Spice Jar, Set of 6
• 
  Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0

Need another frosting recipe? You may enjoy these easy to make, from-scratch frosting recipes:

• Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe – Classic, versatile, delicious vanilla buttercream frosting! The ideal frosting for cakes, cookies, cupcakes can be colored, sprinkled, piped and decorated to complete your sweet, perfectly.

• Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe – Delicious, smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting! Colored or natural, cream cheese frosting ads a delicious tang to your favorite cakes, cupcakes and breakfast baked goods.

• Disclosure the links in this post may be affiliate links.

• For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

• If you enjoyed this post, be sure to sign up for the Ann’s Entitled Life weekly newsletter, and never miss another article!