Chocolate Irish Cream Cake
If you’re an Irish cream fan, have I got a cake for you. You’ll find the yummy flavor of Irish cream in the cake and the frosting.
It’s so delicious you’ll think you’re sitting in an Irish cafe enjoying an Irish coffee in cake form.
Oh, this is no ordinary chocolate cake, it’s full of Irish Cream flavor and you’re going to roll your eyes in delight with just one bite.
Not only does the cake have the delicious Irish cream flavor. The frosting is creamy tangy, and rich tasting.
I topped the cake with a dusting of cocoa, and I show you below how to create the simple shamrock design.
I’ll give you a few options to make this cake have the exact flavor you’d like. This cake is made from scratch, so is the frosting. Or use a box cake mix with additions as well as prepared frosting with some items to make it over the top delicious.
Let’s start with the Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake, you’ll be adding Irish Cream to the cake batter. Along with some instant coffee. It’ll really kick up the flavor of the cake. And you’ll be adding Irish Cream to the frosting as well.
I made the frosting with cream cheese to give it an extra kick, you can use buttercream if you prefer it.
If you don’t want to use liquor you can use an Irish Cream Coffee Creamer or LorAnns makes an Irish Cream Extract.
you can use can use my chocolate cake recipe or my chocolate cake mix hack and adjust some ingredients to make it all “Irish”!
Let me show you how to make a shamrock on top of the cake. Or use this tip to make any simple shape on top of a frosted cake.
I used cocoa, other options are powdered sugar or sprinkles.
Once the cake is baked and cooled, spread on the frosting. Draw and cut a shamrock out of an index card, parchment paper or waxed paper.
Place it on the frosting.
Place unsweetened cocoa into a fine mesh strainer. Dust it over the top of the cake. It’ll look like a cocoa snow storm, covering the paper too. Then pull up the paper to reveal the shamrock.
Use this tip for any simple design on any cake!
Before you know it… you can dive your fork into this chocolate baileys Irish cream cake.
I have a 13×9 nonstick Calphalon pan, it’s no longer available if I were to buy one today. I’d give this pan a try, it’s a great price.
Ok… let’s back up and talk about the frosting… it’s so yummy!
To ensure the frosting is silky smooth with no grit, I really like mixing the liquid, Bailey’s Irish Cream in this case with the powdered sugar, then pour this slurry into butter that has been whipped until pale in color and fluffy.
With the mixer on low to medium speed, drizzle in the slurry and when it’s all added mix on medium until blended well.
Keep mixing, the frosting for 3 mintues, it’ll ensure it’s light in textrue and very creamy.
Chocolate Irish Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature, I use salted butter, unsalted butter can be used.
- 2 tablespoons oil I use avocado oil, any light flavor oil can be used.
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs from large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 oz milk I use whole milk
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 1 tablespoon vinegar I use white vinegar
- 1/4 cup Irish Cream Liquor a non alcoholic alternative is Irish Cream Coffee Creamer or 2 teaspoons Irish Cream extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Prepare a 13×9 pan with baking spray or shortening and flour.
- In a bowl with a mixer cream the butter until smooth, add oil and sugar.
- Add in the eggs and mix until combined.
- In a separate medium bowl mix whisk four, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
- In a liquid measuring cup add milk and vinegar and give it a stir, allow it to rest 1 minute.
- Remove 2 tablespoons of milk mixture and add the coffee granules and mix to combine, heat in the microwave for 10 seconds if needed, so the granules dissolve. Pour back into the milk mixture.
- Alternate the flour and milk mixture adding each to the butter and sugar mixture. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/3 of the milk mixture and continue mixing until incorperated.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, now add the Irish Cream and give it a final mix on medium low for 30 seconds to mix the batter together.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan completely for 15 minutes if you're turning out onto a cooling rack or leave in the pan to completely cool at least 30 minutes before frosting.
Notes
1 3.4 oz chocolate instant chocolate pudding
1/4 cup oil
1 cup water
1/4 cup Irish Cream (or Irish Cream Coffee Creamer)
2 large eggs In the bowl of a mixer add cake mix and pudding mix, add oil, water, Irish cream, and eggs. Mix on medium until all ingredients are combined, scrape the bowl, and mix to make sure everything is incorperated. Place batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Irish Cream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter which is 4 oz
- 1/2 cup cream cheese which is 4 oz
- 1/4 cup Irish Cream or Irish cream coffee creamer
- 2 cups powdered sugar add up to an additional cup
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mixer beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Mix the powdered sugar with the Irish cream until it makes a slurry.
- Pour the slurry into the butter mixture on medium speed and mix for a minute, scrape the bowl and continue to mix for 3 minutes so the frosting will be soft and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over a cooled cake
- Instructions for the shamrock are in the post: Cut a shamrock out of paper, waxed paper, or parchment paper, place it on top of the frosting, and add a dusting of unsweetened cocoa in a fine strainer to cover the cake.
- Place cake in fridge and remove 30 minutes before serving.