Ultimate Baileys chocolate cupcakes with a surprise inside

From the dark chocolate chips in the rich chocolate sponge, to the smooth and creamy chocolate and Baileys frosting, to the velvety milk chocolate Baileys ganache you’ll discover inside – these really are the ultimate Baileys chocolate cupcakes.

If you’re wanting to try these at home, here’s the recipe for these ultimate chocolate cupcakes. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the sponge:

• 150 g (5.5 oz) butter
• 200 g (7 oz) sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200 g (7 oz) self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 100 g (3.5 oz) melted dark chocolate
• 100 g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate chips

For the Baileys ganache:

• 150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream
• 50 ml (1.75 fl oz) Baileys
• 200 g (7 oz) milk chocolate

For the frosting:

• 170 g (6 oz) butter
• 500 g (17.5 oz) icing sugar
• 50 ml (1.5 – 2 fl oz) whole milk
• 2 tbsp Baileys
• 4 tbsp drinking chocolate powder
• Chocolate decorative hearts optional

Instructions

TO MAKE THE SPONGE:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan, 375F)
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy
3. Beat the eggs separately, then beat into the mix bit by bit
4. Sieve in the flour, cocoa and baking powder and fold through
5. Fold in the milk to loosen
6. Fold in the cool melted chocolate
7. Fold in the chocolate chips
8. Spoon into a 12 hole muffin tray lined with paper cases
9. Bake for 18-20 minutes until just firm on top
10. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack

To make the ganache:

1. Heat the cream and Baileys in a saucepan until just beginning to simmer.
2. Break the milk chocolate into a bowl and pour the heated cream mixture over it.
3. Stir until it melts together, forming a glossy ganache
4. Leave to cool to room tempPrepare the core:
5. Cut out a hole from the centre of each cupcake – I used a cupcake corer from Lakeland
6. Pour the cool ganache into each hole, up to the top
7. Leave until it feels set to the touch (15-30 minutes)

To make the frosting:

1. Beat the butter on its own until fluffy
2. Add the icing sugar, drinking chocolate powder and milk and beat together – starting slow and then speeding up until pale fluffy
3. Add the Baileys and beat again
4. Transfer into a piping bag with an closed star nozzle and pipe high swirls, keeping the bag upright to give lovely frilly swirls
5. I topped mine with some chocolate hearts

Are you tempted to try baking these cupcakes at home?

Here’s that Baileys ultimate chocolate cupcakes recipe again in a printable format.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Baileys ultimate chocolate cupcakes with a surprise inside

Chocolate chip sponge with Baileys chocolate frosting and a hidden core of Baileys ganache.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: cakes and bakes, Cookies

Keyword: Baileys, cakes, chocolate cupcakes, cupcakes

Servings: 12

Author: Emily Leary

Ingredients

For the sponge:

• 150 g (5.29 oz) butter
• 200 g (7.05 oz) sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200 g (7.05 oz) self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 100 g (3.53 oz) melted dark chocolate
• 100 g (3.53 oz) dark chocolate chips

For the Baileys ganache:

• 150 ml (5.07 floz) double cream
• 50 ml (1.69 floz) Baileys
• 200 g (7.05 oz) milk chocolate

For the frosting:

• 170 g (6 oz) butter
• 500 g (1.1 lb) icing sugar
• 50 ml (1.69 floz) whole milk
• 2 tbsp Baileys
• 4 tbsp drinking chocolate powder
• Chocolate decorative hearts optional

Instructions

To make the sponge:

• Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan, 375F)
• Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy
• Beat the eggs separately, then beat into the mix bit by bit
• Sieve in the flour, cocoa and baking powder and fold through
• Fold in the milk to loosen
• Fold in the cool melted chocolate
• Fold in the chocolate chips
• Spoon into a 12 hole muffin tray lined with paper cases
• Bake for 18-20 minutes until just firm on top
• Leave to cool completely on a wire rackTo make the ganache
• Heat the cream and Baileys in a saucepan until just beginning to simmer.
• Break the milk chocolate into a bowl and pour the heated cream mixture over it.
• Stir until it melts together, forming a glossy ganache
• Leave to cool to room temp

Prepare the core:

• Cut out a hole from the centre of each cupcake – I used a cupcake corer from Lakeland
• Pour the cool ganache into each hole, up to the top
• Leave until it feels set to the touch (15-30 minutes)

To make the frosting:

• Beat the butter on its own until fluffy
• Add the icing sugar, drinking chocolate powder and milk and beat together – starting slow and then speeding up until pale fluffy
• Add the Baileys and beat again
• Transfer into a piping bag with an closed star nozzle and pipe high swirls, keeping the bag upright to give lovely frilly swirls
• I topped mine with some chocolate hearts

* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.

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