• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two cupcake tins with cupcake liners and set aside. 

Make the Pretzel Base

• Crush the pretzels to crumbs in a sealed plastic bag using a rolling pin. 

  Reserve 1/2 a cup of the crumbs for garnishing the cupcakes later. 
• Combine the remaining crumbs with the melted butter to create a crust that holds together when squeezed in the palm of your hand. 

  Add a tablespoon of the pretzel mixture to each cupcake liner, pressing down a bit to pack them. 
• Bake for 5 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the pans from the oven and allow the pretzel crusts to cool while you make the cake batter.

Prepare the Chocolate Stout-Pretzel Cake

• Sift the dry ingredients together, then set this bowl to the side.
• In a large measuring cup, combine the milk and the Guinness. Set this aside as well. 
• In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat both sugars, the butter, and both extracts together. 
• Add the eggs to the bowl, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl prior to adding the next egg. 

  Mix on medium-high speed, for 6-7 minutes, or until the mixture looks fluffy. Scrape down the bowl at least twice while you're creaming the butter, sugars, and eggs.
• Add the sifted dry ingredients, alternating with the milk mixture, as follows: add 1/3 of the dry, mix just until blended in. Add 1/2 of the milk, mix just until blended in. 

  Repeat until all of the ingredients have been added to the bowl. Scrape down the bowl's sides occasionally for an evenly mixed batter. 
• Use a number 16 scoop to scoop the batter into the lined cupcake tins. 

  Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F, or until a thermometer reads 210°F. After the cupcakes have finished baking, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the Bailey's Buttercream

• In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and butter until smooth. 
• Add the salt, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Scrape down the bowl a few times as you're mixing. Once the sugar has been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for one minute. 
• Switch to the whip attachment and add the Bailey's Irish Cream and the vanilla extract to the mixture.

  Gradually increase the speed back to medium-high and whip for 3 or 4 minutes, or until light and airy. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally during mixing. 

Decorate the Cupcakes

• Once the buttercream is prepared, and the cupcakes are completely cool fill a piping bag- fitted with a 1M tip- halfway with the buttercream. 
• Pipe a dot of frosting on the top each cupcake, dead center. This dollop of frosting helps create a dome of frosting for your cupcakes. 

  Pipe a swirl of frosting around and on top of the dollop. 
  
• Sprinkle a generous pinch of the reserved pretzel crumbs on top of the frosting. 
• Fill a separate piping bag with caramel sauce and drizzle a good amount over each cupcake. 
• Top each cupcake's frosting with a whole mini pretzel. 
• Enjoy these cupcakes within 3 days of preparation.