From the rich chocolate sponge, to the smooth and creamy Baileys frosting, these really are the ultimate Baileys chocolate cupcakes.
There's Baileys in both the sponges and the frosting, plus Baileys chocolates on top of each cake, so the gorgeous creamy, chocolatey, whisky-infused flavour comes through delightfully in every single bite.
Making the chocolate sponges is a breeze. You'll whisk butter, oil, caster sugar, eggs and Baileys together, then fold in flour and cocoa powder. You'll then spoon the batter into cupcake cases and bake. It's that simple!
The Baileys buttercream is even easier to make. You'll just sift icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl, add butter and Baileys and whip it all together until fluffy, smooth and light. It's absolutely irresistible.
Here's the recipe for these wonderful Baileys chocolate cupcakes. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the chocolate sponges
- 125 g (1 stick + 1 tbsp) slightly salted butter softened
- 50 g (¼ cup) vegetable oil (canola oil)
- 200 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 200 g (1½ cups) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
- 40 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder (dutch processed)
- 125 ml (½ cup) Baileys Original Irish Cream
For the Baileys buttercream icing
- 200 g (1 stick + 6 tbsp) slightly salted butter softened
- 500 g (4 cups) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 60 ml (¼ cup) Baileys Original Irish Cream
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder (dutch processed)
- 12 Baileys chocolates
Instructions
Make the Baileys chocolate sponges
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan-assisted).
Put the softened butter, oil and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer or by hand until creamy.
Crack the eggs into the bowl and add the Baileys.
Beat again until just combined.
Sieve in the flour and cocoa powder.
Fold everything together. It's fine if it's a bit lumpy.
Line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases.
Divide the batter evenly between them, making sure to level off so that the cupcakes rise evenly.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until risen and firm. A skewer pushed into the centre of a cupcake towards the middle of the tray should come out clean.
Transfer your cupcakes to a wire rack and leave them to cool completely.
Make the Baileys buttercream icing
Place the butter in a large bowl.
Whisk until soft.
Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Add the Baileys.
Whisk starting slowly until just combined, then whisk on high until the frosting is pale, creamy and significantly increased in volume.
Transfer the buttercream icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe on top of the cupcakes.
Finish with a chocolate on top of each cake
Are you tempted to try baking these beautiful Baileys chocolate cupcakes at home?
Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Baileys chocolate cupcakes
Are Baileys chocolate cupcakes easy to make?
Yes, this 10 step recipe for Baileys chocolate cupcakes is an easy recipe that only takes 40 minutes to make!
The recipe for the cupcakes themselves is a straightforward sponge recipe so you may have made something similar before. But don’t worry if you get lost along the way, I’ve included some helpful photos so you can check you’re on the right path as you go along.
And while the buttercream top looks impressive, as long as you have a steady hand and the right piping nozzle, you should be able to pipe beautiful swirls of buttercream very easily.
If this is your first time with a piping bag you can have a few practice goes on a cutting board to get a feel for it - it won’t take you long to get the hang of it! After you’ve finished, simply transfer the icing back into the piping bag. Don’t practice too much though, as piping the icing too many times will change its consistency.
Will I need any special equipment to make Baileys chocolate cupcakes?
To make these Baileys chocolate cupcakes you’ll need some fairly standard baking equipment which you most likely already have.
To weigh out your ingredients you’ll need a set of weighing scales and some measuring spoons. Then to make the cupcake batter and the Baileys icing you’ll need a mixing bowl (or two if you don’t want to do any washing up while baking). You’ll need a sieve and an electric whisk to mix up your cupcake batter and icing. Then you’ll need a 12-hole muffin tray, some cupcake cases and a wire cooling rack to cook and cool your cupcakes.
Finally, for decoration you’ll need to get a piping bag with a star nozzle. If you don’t own a piping bag then there’s a link, in the recipe card below, to a piping bag and nozzle which are ideal.
If in doubt, there’s a full list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below, so you can make sure that you have everything you need before you begin.
Why do you recommend Baileys?
I recommend Baileys because apart from tasting fantastic it pairs so well with chocolate. It’s a distinctive flavour and it's easy to incorporate into a recipe like this.
While this recipe calls for Baileys, you can use other Irish cream liqueur brands. There are many Irish cream liqueur alternatives available around the world, so if you can’t find Baileys all is not lost!
Baileys was the original Irish cream liqueur on the market, but it’s blend of fresh dairy cream, Irish whiskey and flavourings like chocolate has been closely duplicated by other brands. There are many supermarket own brand or alternative brand Irish creams that have a similar ingredients list.
However, if you do use an alternative brand you should check the ingredients to make sure it’s made with whisky rather than just “alcohol” as that can affect the flavour.
Where can I buy Baileys?
Baileys is originally from Ireland, but it’s become so popular it’s now available worldwide. Baileys is most popular in the UK, US and Australia so you should be able to find a bottle fairly easily in any supermarket or off license. Feel free to use any brand of Irish cream if you can’t find Baileys.
It’s worth noting that Baileys can often sell out during the run up to Christmas. So, if you can’t find any in store, then you might have to buy a bottle online.
How can I tell if Baileys has gone off?
While Baileys includes cream as an ingredient it also contains a lot of alcohol and sugar. This means that it has a much longer shelf-life than cream alone.
At the time of writing (November 2021) bottles of Baileys come with a ‘best before’ end date that is usually around 24 months from the production date.
Storage
While a ‘use by’ date is a safety marker that should never be exceeded, a ‘best before’ date is more to do with the quality. So food or drink that are beyond their ‘best before’ date can be safely consumed beyond that date, as long as there are no signs of spoilage.
The label on Baileys suggests storing in the fridge once opened. Beyond that, it does not suggest that spoilage time is shortened once the bottle is opened. Several unofficial sources say that Baileys can last for 2 years before it starts to go off, which would make sense given it’s 24 month shelf life. However, it’s always best to follow the label advice.
So you should be fine to use a bottle of Baileys you opened last Christmas as long as you stored it according to the label instructions.
Check your Baileys
The best way to tell if your Baileys is safe to use is to check the smell. As cream spoils it develops a tangy and unpleasant sour smell (think bad milk). So as soon as you open your bottle you should be able to smell it.
Another indicator of the quality of your Baileys is the colour. Baileys is usually a pale and creamy caramel colour but it will get darker if it has spoiled. If your Baileys looks more like a milky coffee colour then it’s best to discard it. Make sure to pour the Baileys into a clear glass to check this, as it might seem darker in the bottle or a mug.
Baileys should have that classic smooth and velvet texture, similar to pouring cream. As cream spoils it will curdle, so if your Baileys has a thicker, curdled texture or the liquid and the dairy fat has started to separate you should discard it straight away.
Sometimes spoiled Baileys might look and smell completely normal so you should make sure you give it a taste before adding it to your recipe so you don’t ruin all your hard work.
Remember, if you think that your Baileys has spoiled then you should discard it. Make sure to thoroughly wash anything it comes into contact with and wash your hands well afterwards.
Are Baileys chocolate cupcakes suitable for vegetarians?
These Baileys chocolate cupcakes should be suitable for vegetarians
At the time of writing (November 2021) Original Baileys includes cream, whiskey and flavourings, so all of the ingredients are vegetarian. However, if you use a non-brand Irish cream you should double-check that it’s ingredients are vegetarian.
When you’re cooking for vegetarians and vegans it’s important to double-check all of your ingredients labels to make sure that they’re suitable.
Is Baileys icing suitable for vegans?
Vegans don’t eat meat or anything which comes from an animal, so this Baileys icing recipe isn’t vegan as it contains eggs and dairy. So while vegetarians can eat this recipe as is, it isn’t suitable for vegans unless you swap out some ingredients. I have a vegan cupcake recipe here that uses some of the suggestions below if you need some extra guidance.
Vegan dairy alternatives
If you want, you could try making this recipe with vegan alternatives. The cupcake batter would work with vegan butter and an egg replacement. There is some great non-dairy vegan butter that still has a really buttery taste and texture. So you could replace the dairy butter in this recipe with a vegan alternative. You’ll just need to make sure that you use vegan butter with a fat content of around 80% so that it behaves in the same way as butter for this recipe. Remember, you’ll also need to use vegan butter in the icing too.
Egg replacement
For an egg replacement, I would recommend using chia seeds to make a ‘chia egg’. To make a chia egg all you need to do is add 1 tablespoon of crushed chia seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water in a cup and leave it in the fridge for 10 minutes. As this recipe calls for 3 eggs you will need to mix 3 tablespoons of chia seeds with 6 tablespoons of water. The chia seeds will absorb the water and develop a texture similar to raw egg whites. This will do the job of binding the ingredients together that eggs would normally do in the cupcake batter.
Vegan Baileys
When a plant-based alternative to Baileys was launched in the UK it was big news for the vegan community. Baileys’ plant-based version of the original recipe is called ‘Baileys Almande’. Baileys Almande is based on a mix of Whiskey, almond milk, almond oil and almond essence. At the time of writing this (November 2021), Baileys Almande is suitable for vegans.
However, you’ll need to make sure you buy a recent and certified vegan version of Baileys Almande. This is because Baileys Almande previously contained beeswax in the ingredients, which made it unsuitable for vegans.
There’s some concern from vegan groups that Baileys Almande might be discontinued, so a list of vegan Irish cream alternatives can be found here just in case.
As always, you should make sure that you double-check all of your ingredients labels to confirm that they’re suitable for vegans.
Are Baileys chocolate cupcakes cupcakes gluten-free?
This recipe isn’t gluten-free as I use wheat flour. However, if you want to adapt it, it would probably work really well! There are some great gluten-free wheat flour alternatives available in most supermarket baking aisles (or ‘free from’ aisles in the UK). If you can’t find one in store then there are plenty available on Amazon or through online health store retailers like Holland and Barrett or Whole Foods.
A good gluten-free flour will usually be made from a blend of different flours such as rice flour, coconut flour or oat flour, with raising agents and a binding agent such as xanthan gum.
As for the Baileys, their official website says “Baileys is produced with ingredients that do not contain gluten however we cannot guarantee that the product is gluten-free.” There have been anecdotal reports online of people who have had no reaction to it and others who have had a reaction. With this in mind, check with anyone who will be eating a gluten-free version of this cupcake to make sure that it is suitable for their diet.
If you do decide to adapt this into a gluten-free recipe then remember to double-check all of your other ingredients labels to make sure that they are gluten-free. You’d be surprised how often gluten can be included in an unexpected ingredient! Don't forget to also check anything extra you intend to serve or decorate your cupcakes with.
Are Baileys chocolate cupcakes keto-friendly?
This Baileys chocolate cupcakes recipe isn’t suitable for a ketogenic diet as it contains sugar, wheat flour and alcohol which give it a high carbohydrate content. While you can use keto-flour and sugar substitutes to adapt many recipes, because this recipe is so reliant on ingredients (like Baileys) that contain sugar and alcohol it probably isn’t the best recipe to try to adapt with keto-friendly ingredients.
Are Baileys chocolate cupcakes healthy?
As you might expect, Baileys chocolate cupcakes are not healthy, as they contain a fair amount of sugar, butter and alcohol. However, there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself every now and then, as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
Are Baileys chocolate cupcakes safe to eat while pregnant?
These Baileys chocolate cupcakes contain alcohol in the cake batter and the icing which means they aren’t suitable for someone who is pregnant. This is based on the NHS advice that people avoid consuming alcohol while pregnant. If you want to make an alcohol free version of this recipe then see below.
If you decide to make a non-alcoholic version of this recipe then there should be nothing else in the recipe which is unsafe for a pregnant person. Just make sure all the ingredients are in good condition and the cupcakes are prepared safely and hygienically. You should take extra care in ensuring that your ingredients are safe to use when cooking for someone who is pregnant or for people who are older, or live with a medical condition.
A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.
What goes well with Baileys chocolate cupcakes?
Your Baileys chocolate cupcakes will be perfect on their own as an indulgent snack, as the creamy Baileys icing will give them a mouthwateringly moist texture.
However, feel free to serve them with anything you would normally serve with a dessert. Obviously, cream, ice cream and custard will go with pretty much anything (within reason).
You could even serve them with a little glass of Baileys. Adults only of course!
If you adapt the recipe to be vegan or gluten free, remember to check the labels of anything you serve your cupcakes with.
Can I make these Baileys chocolate cupcakes without alcohol?
If you want to make these Baileys chocolate cupcakes without alcohol then that’s completely fine. There are some alcohol free variations of Irish cream liqueur so you can still get that rich and creamy taste without the alcohol.
You could try non-alcoholic Irish cream flavoured syrups which you could use in place of Baileys. Or you could use Irish cream food flavouring. I haven’t tried using the food flavouring or syrups so you should probably try experimenting with the amount you add to get the best flavour and texture.
If you can’t find a non-alcoholic alternative to Baileys then the BBC has a recipe here. The recipe uses fairly common ingredients like cream, evaporated milk, spices, orange zest, coffee.
Why does this Baileys chocolate cupcakes recipe call for oil and butter?
While many cakes just use butter in the recipe, this Baileys chocolate cupcake recipe uses a combination of oil and butter. This is because using oil in a cake batter helps keep the finished cakes moist for longer by raising its fat content and making it a little denser.
It’s best to use oil in cupcake recipes, as using oil means that your cake batter won’t rise as much as an entirely butter based cake.
Can I add extra chocolate to this recipe?
For some people there’s no such thing as too much chocolate. So if you want to add some chocolate to your Baileys chocolate cupcakes then go ahead! You could add a handful of chocolate chips to your cake batter without it affecting the cooking time too much. Or you could drizzle your finished cupcakes with tempered chocolate as decoration.
How should I store my Baileys chocolate cupcakes?
You should store your Baileys chocolate cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge so the buttercream doesn’t melt or spoil. Remember to take them out of the fridge an hour before serving so they come back to room temperature which will really improve the texture and taste.
If you want to keep them for longer you can freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight container in the freezer.
How long will Baileys chocolate cupcakes keep?
Baileys chocolate cupcakes should keep for seven days if you keep them stored in the fridge in an airtight container. While they may feel moist and edible after a week it’s best not to risk it past this point.
This is because the butter in the buttercream frosting can start to spoil after a few days, especially once it’s on the cupcakes.
If you freeze your cupcakes you can keep them for up to 3 months as long as they're stored in an airtight container.
Can I leave Baileys chocolate cupcakes out on the counter?
No, these Baileys chocolate cupcakes contain fresh butter in the buttercream, which will start to spoil if kept at room temperature for more than a few hours. It will also spoil more quickly and be in danger of melting on particularly hot days.
If you want to make your cupcakes up to 2 days before you serve them, then you can store undecorated cupcakes in an airtight container in a cupboard or on the counter in a dark corner. However they’ll always be best when at their freshest.
Can I make Baileys chocolate cupcakes ahead?
You can make your Baileys chocolate cupcakes ahead of time in a couple of ways. You could bake just the cupcakes and store them in an airtight container in the fridge or cupboard. Then, on the day you want to serve them, you can make the buttercream and decorate them.
Or you can make and decorate the cupcakes up to 3 months in advance and store them in the freezer. Just make sure you remember to defrost them in the fridge overnight the day before you want to serve them, then bring them up to room temperature just before serving.
Can I keep Baileys chocolate cupcakes in the refrigerator?
Yes, the best place to store your Baileys chocolate cupcakes is in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for seven days in the refrigerator as long as you keep them in an airtight container and away from any potential contaminants in the fridge like raw meat.
Can I freeze Baileys chocolate cupcakes?
Yes, these Baileys chocolate cupcakes should freeze really well. Depending on how well they defrost the frosting might look a little scruffy as dairy can split when it freezes. So if you want perfectly neat cupcakes it’s probably best just to freeze the undecorated cupcakes and then decorate them once they’re defrosted.
To freeze your undecorated cupcakes you can just put them into an airtight container or bag and freeze them. To freeze your complete and decorated cupcakes then you’ll need to put them flat, icing side up, on a plate or tray that will fit in the freezer. Then freeze them for around 4 hours or until fully frozen. Once they’re frozen you can transfer them into a container and freeze again. This will keep the frosting in its neat shape and reduce the chance of the cupcakes sticking together as they freeze.
What is the best way to defrost Baileys chocolate cupcakes?
Frozen Baileys chocolate cupcakes will need to be defrosted in the fridge. It’s important to keep them at a low temperature to reduce the risk of bacterial growth.
The day before you want to serve your cupcakes just pop them onto a covered plate in the fridge to defrost overnight. Once thawed, consume within 24 hours.
Can I make these Baileys chocolate cupcakes in a different quantity?
This recipe is perfect for scaling up or down as the cupcakes are individually portioned into muffin tins, so the cooking time and temperature will be unaffected if you make more or less.
Luckily I have a really helpful tool that will change the amount of ingredients for this recipe.
If you go to the recipe card below, you'll see the servings near the top. This should have the number of cupcakes. To change this to the number of cupcakes you want to make, just click on the number and a little slider will pop up. Then move the slider up or down to get the amount you want to make.
Now all of the ingredient quantities will be automatically updated for you so that everything is in the right ratios.
Can I make these Baileys chocolate cupcakes as one big cake?
Yes, a giant Baileys cake sounds yummy! If you want to make one big Baileys cake then I actually already have a recipe for that here. So if you’re looking for something that can serve as more of a centrepiece then this recipe is a perfect multi layered showstopper.
Can I make Baileys chocolate cupcakes in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?
Yes, using a stand mixer is ideal for several stages of this recipe.
First, for the cupcake batter, you can use a stand mixer to cream your softened butter, oil and caster sugar together with a whisk attachment. Then you can mix in your eggs and Baileys.
However, it’s best to gently fold your sifted flour and cocoa powder by hand with a spatula. This is because if you overmix your flour you could end up with tough cupcakes.
You can also use the stand mixer to mix your Baileys icing. First by mixing your butter until it is creamy and soft then adding the sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder. Finally gradually add the Baileys.
Can I make Baileys chocolate cupcakes with a food processor?
You shouldn't use a food processor to make these Baileys chocolate cupcakes as you’ll risk overmixing the cupcake batter and the icing. If you overmix the cupcake batter then you’ll end up with tough cupcakes. If you overmix the icing it can become too hard and split, or become too loose. So it’s best to just mix everything by hand or with a stand mixer as above.
How can I make sure my Baileys chocolate cupcakes turn out perfectly?
To get the perfect Baileys chocolate cupcakes there are a couple of points to take extra care over.
First you will need to make sure you don’t overmix the ingredients. If you overmix your cupcake batter then it can cause the gluten in the flour to activate too much and you’ll end up with cakes which are dense and tough. This will be more of an issue than overmixing a standard sponge recipe because the oil in this cake batter already makes the cupcakes quite dense. So make sure you only gently fold in the sifted ingredients, either by hand with a spatula or on a low setting in a stand mixer.
Next you’ll need to make sure you add the right amount of Baileys. Double check you’re reading the measurements in the right format e.g don’t mix up millilitres with oz! Otherwise you could end up with something more like a Baileys fondue, and while that sounds delicious, it will be rather difficult to eat.
If you’re ever unsure along the way, you can always check the photos above to see if your cupcake batter is the right consistency or if your icing looks right.
Why did my Baileys chocolate cupcakes turn out dry/crumbly?
This Baileys chocolate cupcakes recipe uses Baileys, oil and butter to give your cupcakes some extra moisture, so if they’ve turned out dry it sounds like you have overcooked them and/or forgotten to add oil or another wet ingredient.
If you’re sure that you’ve added all of the ingredients in the correct quantities then you’ve most likely cooked your cupcakes on a high heat for far too long. This recipe should be difficult to dry out, so it won’t be a matter of a couple of extra minutes in the oven. If they’re truly dry then you may have an issue with your oven.
Many household ovens have hot spots and inconsistent temperatures. So it’s a good idea to get your oven checked or serviced every couple of years. If there’s something wrong with the fan in your oven then it can cause the oven to overheat or have inconsistencies.
To be certain of your oven temperature it’s a good idea to invest in an oven thermometer. You can usually find an inexpensive oven thermometer in a kitchenware store or on Amazon. You can usually leave an oven thermometer in the oven for a couple of hours so you can check your oven temperature throughout the baking process.
Why did my Baileys chocolate cupcakes turn out wet/soft/dense?
This Baileys chocolate cupcakes recipe has a very moist batter because of the oil and Baileys added to the mix. So your cupcakes should be nice and moist and a little denser than a sponge cake, but not so wet or dense that they’re unpleasant. If your cupcakes are too wet or dense then there are a couple of likely causes.
If they’re too wet then it sounds like you’ve added too much oil or Baileys to the mix or they’re undercooked.
Again, if you think your oven temperature is inconsistent or incorrect then you should try testing your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. If your oven is running lower than the temperature dial states then it will cause your food to undercook, which would result in soggy or undercooked cupcakes.
You might be able to salvage your cupcakes if they look like they have risen but are still undercooked. Just pop them into the oven for 5 more minutes and then do a skewer test to check if they’re cooked through.
A skewer test is a way of testing whether the centre of a cake is cooked. You can do this by pushing a skewer or a knife into the centre of one of your cupcakes. If the cupcakes are cooked then the skewer will come out clean or with crumbs. If the skewer has uncooked or wet cake batter on it, then the cakes aren’t cooked through. Put them back in the oven for 5 more minutes and then give them another skewer test. Repeat until they’re cooked.
Why didn’t my Baileys chocolate cupcakes rise?
There are several reasons why your cupcakes have turned out flat. Issues that can impact your cakes rising can occur during every step of the recipe, from your ingredients to your mixing technique or oven temperature. So it’s important to follow every step carefully to ensure you get a good rise on your cupcakes.
Raising agents
One of the most obvious reasons why your Baileys chocolate cupcakes didn’t rise is that the rising agents in your flour are old and have lost their potency.
When you’re using self raising flour it's important to check that it’s within the ‘best before’ date. This is because baking powder or other raising agents used can destabilize and lose their potency over time.
Remember, the ‘best before’ date is only valid if you have stored the flour as the packet directs you to. So if the flour pack tells you to store it in a sealed container for up to a year once opened, and you’ve left it open in a cupboard for a year, then the contents will be more likely to have gone off quicker.
Ratios
If you used flour that is in date and stored correctly then it may be because your cake batter was too wet or dense. This recipe calls for a mix of butter and oil, to give the cupcakes a moist texture. If you add too much oil then the cupcake batter might be too dense for the batter to rise.
Cakes rise when the raising agents cause air bubbles to form and fill with hot air. This air heats the cake and transforms the wet batter into the soft sponge texture of a cake. If the cake batter is too dense for the rising agents to expand then they will stay flat.
Mixing
Equally important during the mixing stage is the mixing itself. If you added the correct amount of ingredients but you then overmixed the cake batter then the gluten in the flour may have activated too much. This means that the gluten molecules in the flour have started to form strong bonds and hold together. This is what you aim for when making bread, but if it happens in a cake batter then the cake will be tough and in some cases struggle to rise properly. So remember to only gently fold the flour into your batter.
Oven temperature
The final potential cause of flat cupcakes is your oven temperature. If the oven is too low then the raising agents won’t get hot enough to react and the cakes won’t rise. Or, if the oven door opens too soon the cupcakes can collapse. This happens because the cupcakes were expanding with hot air, but hadn’t cooked enough to hold the expansion up. When the door was opened during this crucial period, the hot air escaped the oven, causing the cupcakes to sink. This can also happen if the oven is too hot, as the cupcakes rise and expand too quickly before collapsing.
Why did my Baileys buttercream icing split or turn very loose?
If your frosting has split then it might be because you added too much Baileys too quickly to the icing and the butter and icing is struggling to blend together properly. Remember, when you’re mixing your frosting to gradually add your Baileys so you get a nice even mix and smooth, creamy consistency.
It might also be because your butter was too cold. You should use chilled but not hard butter to make your buttercream. If it’s very cold and hard then it will break into little pieces when mixed, and take longer to mix into the creamy consistency you want. If you add Baileys and icing sugar to these tiny cold pieces of butter then they won’t mix properly and you’ll end up with a lumpy, loose icing.
Luckily you can remedy both of these issues by mixing your icing for longer, until it starts to come together into a creamy and smooth texture.
It will probably become a little too loose and wet as the butter gets softer. So once it has mixed into a smooth consistency you’ll need to chill it for 30 minutes in the fridge. Then you can mix it again until it’s soft enough to be piped.
How can I add/change the flavours in these Baileys chocolate cupcakes?
If you want to add or change the flavours of these Baileys chocolate cupcakes then the easiest way to do it is to substitute the Baileys for an alternative cream based liqueur.
For example, you could use a salted caramel flavoured liqueur. Or if you want to pack in as much chocolate as possible you could use something similar to this Hotel Chocolat chocolate liqueur.
As long as you use a cream based liqueur then the texture and baking times shouldn’t be affected.
If you use a fruit based liqueur or something more acidic it may cause the frosting to split.
Where is the origin of Baileys?
Baileys Original Irish Cream was first invented in Ireland in the 1970s and it was created by mixing the ingredients together in a Kenwood blender. Eventually Baileys went on to become a multi-billion dollar brand.
While there are many Irish cream liqueurs on the market, Baileys is the original. It’s a velvety smooth blend of Irish whiskey, dairy cream and other flavourings. Most Irish cream liqueurs have a similar ingredient list, though now there are so many variations there’s even a Red Velvet flavoured Baileys.
While Irish cream has become popular worldwide, it’s mainly sold in the UK, US and Australia. Most likely because these places have such a high concentration of people of Irish descent.
Why do we drink Baileys during Christmas?
According to a Waitrose poll, Baileys is the most popular Christmas drink in the UK. It’s unclear how it became such a popular festive tipple, but it’s probably most likely due to it’s ingredients being the three main food groups at Christmas; chocolate, cream and whiskey!
Print this Baileys chocolate cupcakes recipe
Baileys Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the chocolate sponges
- 125 g (1 stick + 1 tbsp) slightly salted butter softened
- 50 g (¼ cup) vegetable oil (canola oil)
- 200 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 200 g (1½ cups) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
- 40 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder (dutch processed)
- 125 ml (½ cup) Baileys Original Irish Cream
For the Baileys buttercream icing
- 200 g (1 stick + 6 tbsp) slightly salted butter softened
- 500 g (4 cups) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 60 ml (¼ cup) Baileys Original Irish Cream
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder (dutch processed)
- 12 Baileys chocolates
Instructions
Make the Baileys chocolate sponges
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan-assisted / 350F). Put the softened butter, oil and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer or by hand until creamy. Crack the eggs into the bowl and add the Baileys. Beat again until just combined.
- Sieve in the flour and cocoa powder and fold everything together. It's fine if it's a bit lumpy.
- Line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases. Divide the batter evenly between them, making sure to level off so that the cupcakes rise evenly.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until risen and firm. A skewer pushed into the centre of a cupcake towards the middle of the tray should come out clean.
- Transfer your cupcakes to a wire rack and leave them to cool completely.
Make the Baileys buttercream icing
- Place the butter in a large bowl. Whisk until soft.
- Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder.
- Add the Baileys, then whisk starting slowly until just combined, then whisk on high until the frosting is pale, creamy and significantly increased in volume.
- Transfer the buttercream icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe on top of the cupcakes.
- Finish with a chocolate on top of each cake
Video
Nutrition
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For more delicious Baileys recipes, try these!
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Amanda Ricci says
How pretty.. I bet it's yummy fancy too.... mmmmm :)
Donna says
Do these cupcakes need to be stored in the fridge due to the baileys and milk in the frosting?
Emily Leary says
Hi. They're best eaten on the day you make them, but otherwise put them in airtight tupperware and store in the fridge. Take out an hour or two before you’d like to serve so that they're back to room temp.