This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Bailey’s Irish Cream Cupcakes are luscious chocolate cupcakes with a creamy Irish Cream chocolate frosting with that extra flavor boost from Bailey’s Irish cream liqueur.
You’ll often see it used in frosting with Guinness cupcakes, but in this recipe, we use the Irish cream in chocolate cupcakes and chocolate frosting!
The Irish cream flavor makes these delicious chocolate cupcakes a perfect dessert for St Patrick’s Day, a real gourmet treat.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes
- Flavor / Taste – You’ll love the rich chocolate and Irish cream flavors! Soaking the cupcakes with Baileys adds even more Irish cream flavor.
- Texture – Moist yet fluffy cupcakes topped with creamy chocolate Irish cream frosting.
- Appearance – These Irish cream cupcakes appear impressive with the creamy frosting piped high on the chocolate Baileys cupcakes.
- Special Occasions – These chocolate cupcakes are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day with the Irish cream flavor.
Ingredient Notes
Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don't have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
Irish Cream Cupcakes
Dry Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – All-purpose flour works well. If you prefer cake flour, use 1 cup and 2 tablespoons for every cup of all-purpose flour.
- Cocoa Powder – Use unsweetened cocoa powder. Ensure that it is natural cocoa powder. It can be Dutch or dark cocoa powder, but it must be a natural cocoa powder.
- Baking Powder – Be sure to check the expiration date of the baking powder. It’s important because if it has expired, your cupcakes may not rise, and you’ll have flat cupcakes.
Wet Ingredients
- Milk – I used whole milk. You could use 2% milk if you prefer. However, I would not recommend using 1% or skim milk.
- Vegetable Oil – You could also use canola oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil. However, vegetable and canola oil will not affect the flavor of the cake, whereas there is a small chance you may taste the avocado oil in the cake and a stronger chance of tasting the coconut oil in the cake.
- Eggs – The eggs should be at room temperature when you start the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla, for the best flavor.
- Bailey’s Irish Cream – Bailey’s has a delicious, classic flavor. However, you can use any brand of Irish Cream you wish. If you prefer to leave it out, you can do that also, and then you’ll have a lovely chocolate cupcake recipe.
Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Frosting
- Chocolate Chips – I used bittersweet chocolate chips, but semi-sweet chocolate chips would work, too.
- Bailey’s Irish Cream – Adds so much flavor to the frosting, so I don’t recommend leaving it out.
- Heavy Cream – I recommend using heavy cream, not milk, for the best texture.
For a complete list of ingredients with measurements, scroll down to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this blog post, just above the comment section.
How To Make Chocolate Irish Cream Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake sections with liners and set aside. Gather your ingredients.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Whisk the batter until combined. Ensure not to overtax.
- Pour the Bailey's into the batter.
- Stir the batter until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Fill cupcake liners with 3 tablespoons of cupcake batter each; you may have a little batter left over, but that's okay.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Take the cupcakes out of the oven, and place them on a wire rack.
- Immediately start poking holes all over the cupcakes with a toothpick.
- Brush the tops with the additional Bailey's for the soak. Allow to cool completely.
How To Make Chocolate Irish Cream Frosting Recipe
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the chocolate ganache frosting. Place the chocolate chips into a large, heatproof bowl and set aside.
Place the Bailey's, heavy cream, and salt in a medium-sized saucepot over medium heat.
Whisk constantly until it just comes to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Whisk until smooth. Allow to cool for 3 hours at room temperature, and I like to continue to whisk it every 10 minutes or so, I believe this helps cool off faster.
Place in the fridge for 1 hour to set.
Place the ganache into the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Whip for 3 minutes until light and fluffy; scrape down the sides to ensure it is all mixed properly with no streaks.
Spread or pipe the frosting on the cupcakes and add your favorite garnishes.
How To Garnish Cupcakes
Options are endless when it comes to garnishing cupcakes. Here are some ideas specific to these Bailey’s Cupcakes.
- Mini Chocolate Chips are sprinkled over the top.
- Crushed Chocolate Chip Cookies (or other cookies).
- Melted Chocolate drizzled over the top.
- Chocolate Shavings
- Chocolate Candy – Use your favorite.
Recipe Tips
- These cupcakes are extremely rich and intensely flavored, which makes this recipe perfect for the dark chocolate or Bailey's lover.
- The frosting is not super sweet since we are using bittersweet chocolate. I think it compliments the overall cupcake very nicely. However, you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips if you want it sweeter.
- The Bailey's soak helps to keep the cupcakes moist while also adding more of that flavor.
- The frosting makes enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes, if you do not want as much frosting, you can get away with making just half.
- My favorite garnishes for these are cookies, mini chocolate chips, more melted chocolate, and chocolate shavings.
- Feel free to use your favorite chocolate cake box mix for this.
- Replace the water called for with Bailey's. Still do the soak and add the ganache!
- These will be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Due to the ganache, they need to be refrigerated for up to 1 week after two days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To make it easier, use an ice cream scoop to scoop the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners in the cupcake pan.
FAQs
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Due to the chocolate ganache, after 2 days, they need to be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
If you want alcohol-free cupcakes, you can leave it out, and it will be regular chocolate cupcakes.
Yes, you can do that. Instead of adding water to the cake mix, use Bailey Irish Cream instead. You can still use Baileys to soak the cupcakes.
Equipment
- Cupcake Pan
- Cupcake liners
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Electric Mixer
- Spatula
- Pastry Bag
- Ice Cream Scoop (Can use to scoop the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners in the pan.)
More Cupcake Recipes
- Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Homemade Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes
- Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
- Bananas Foster Upside Down Cupcakes
Please visit Recent Posts to check out Flavor Mosaic’s newest recipes!
If you love these Bailey’s Irish Cream Cupcakes, please leave a comment below with a 5-star rating and click on the heart to save the recipe so you can easily find it in the future.
Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Bailey’s room temperature
- For the soak:
- 1/4 cup Bailey’s
Frosting:
- 20 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
- 12 ounces Bailey’s
- 8 ounces heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake sections with liners and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet and whisk until combined.
- Add the Bailey's and stir until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Fill cupcake liners with 3 tablespoons of batter each; you may have a little batter left over, but that's okay.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, take them out and place them on a wire rack.
- Immediately start poking holes all over the cupcakes with a toothpick.
- Brush the tops with the additional Bailey's for the soak. Allow to cool completely.
Frosting
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the ganache frosting. Place the chocolate chips into a large, heatproof bowl and set aside.
- Place the Bailey's, heavy cream, and salt in a medium-sized saucepot over medium heat.
- Whisk constantly until it just comes to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk until smooth. Allow to cool for 3 hours at room temperature, I like to continue to whisk it every 10 minutes or so, I believe this helps cool off faster.
- Place in the fridge for 1 hour to set.
- Place the ganache into the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Whip for 3 minutes until light and fluffy; scrape down the sides to ensure it is all mixed properly with no streaks.
- Add frosting to the cupcakes and add your favorite garnishes if using.
Comments
No Comments