Baileys Chocolate Cake
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 8–10
Ingredients:
230g unsalted butter, room temperature
550g caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
420g plain flour, sifted
90g cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
380ml soured cream
225ml strong brewed coffee, cooled
25ml Baileys (0.45 units)
TIP: If you can’t get hold of soured cream you can substitute full-fat natural yoghurt.
Baileys Picnic Layer Cake
You will need:
1 batch Baileys chocolate cake
Two 23cm round cake tins, greased and lined
1 batch Baileys buttercream
1 batch Baileys caramel (optional)
flowers to decorate (optional)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan assisted/gas mark 6.
Cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy – approximately 4 minutes. Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat on a slow speed, gradually increasing until just evenly incorporated.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half to the batter, then the soured cream, then the remaining dry ingredients, keeping beating to a minimum.
Once you have a smooth even batter, gradually add the coffee and Baileys. The mixture will be very wet, so beat slowly to incorporate.
Divide the mixture between the two prepared cake tins and level out to the edges. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
Spread the buttercream on the base layer, sandwich the cakes together and spread more buttercream on top. Allow the icing to set in the fridge, then drizzle with Baileys caramel. I made a flower crown with daisies to decorate mine.
Baileys Buttercream
Makes 4
Ingredients:
50g
100g unsalted butter, softened
300g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
50ml double cream
25ml Baileys Irish Cream (0.45 units)
Method:
Beat the butter alone for 4–5 minutes on high speed.
Add the sugar, vanilla, Baileys and cream and beat on a low speed to bring it together, then turn up and beat on high for another 2–3 minutes.
Baileys Caramel
Ingredients:
200ml double cream
¾ tsp sea salt
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
225g caster sugar
50g glucose syrup
65ml water
65g salted butter
50ml Baileys (0.9 units)
Method:
In a small saucepan or microwavable jug warm the cream and salt, until hot but not boiling. If cooking on the hob stir the cream often to avoid scorching. Cover to keep warm whilst you make the caramel.
Make a dark, wet caramel with the caster sugar, glucose syrup and water.
Once the caramel is ready, remove from the heat and being very careful, gradually add the warmed cream and salt. It will bubble and spit ferociously. Do not stir until the bubbles have died down.
Add the butter and stir well.
If you don’t have a smooth sauce and have lumps of caramel, return to a low heat and stir until the lumps have dissolved. Add the baileys and stir well to incorporate. Store in the fridge for up to one week, warm gently to make liquid and use as a drizzle, or scoop dollops onto your cakes.
Baileys Picnic Cupcakes
You will need:
Cupcake pan & cases
1 batch Baileys chocolate cake
1 batch Baileys Buttercream
1 batch Baileys caramel (optional)
Optional decor: 50g dark chocolate, handful of cherries, desiccated coconut
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan assisted/gas mark 6.
Cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy – approximately 4 minutes. Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat on a slow speed, gradually increasing until just evenly incorporated.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half to the batter, then the soured cream, then the remaining dry ingredients, keeping beating to a minimum.
Once you have a smooth even batter, gradually add the coffee and Baileys. The mixture will be very wet, so beat slowly to incorporate.
Divide the mixture between your cupcake cases in your cake pan. Fill to around 2/4 full in each one. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely before icing.
Use a piping bag or palette knife to ice your cupcakes, drizzle with Baileys caramel (see recipe) & top with a chocolate cherry (see below).
Chocolate Cherries
Toast your coconut on a clean baking tray: 6 mins on 180c in the oven, until just browning.
Chop your chocolate into small pieces.
Using a double boiler (a clean, dry metal or glass pan set over a saucepan with around 1” of boiling water over a medium heat, tip 2/3 of your chocolate into the bowl. Melt gently, then remove from the heat when its around 3/4 melted, stirring to melt the rest, then add the remaining chocolate and stir until cool. (touch a little dab of chocolate to your lip to test for coolness).
When cool to the touch, dip your cherries in the chocolate to coat them evenly, then dip again in the coconut.
Pop in the fridge or freezer to set quickly, then use to decorate your Baileys Picnic Cupcakes.
Baileys Chocolate Cake Canapés
You will need
1 batch Baileys chocolate cake
Mini cupcake pan (I use a silicone one, which means you don’t need cases, if you’re using metal, line it with cases)
1 batch Baileys Buttercream
1 Batch Baileys caramel (optional)
Cacao nibs (optional)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan assisted/gas mark 6.
Cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy – approximately 4 minutes. Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat on a slow speed, gradually increasing until just evenly incorporated.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half to the batter, then the soured cream, then the remaining dry ingredients, keeping beating to a minimum.
Once you have a smooth even batter, gradually add the coffee and Baileys. The mixture will be very wet, so beat slowly to incorporate.
Divide the mixture between your mini cupcake cases. Fill almost to the top but not quite. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely before icing.
Use a piping bag or spoon to ice your mini cupcakes, add a dollop of Baileys caramel (see recipe) & top with crunchy cacao nibs (or anything else you like!)
Baileys Picnic Truffles
You will need:
One baking tray, lined
For the ganache
80g unsalted butter, cubed
200ml double cream
280g dark chocolate, chopped into pieces
25ml Baileys Irish Cream (0.45 units)
Pinch Sea Salt
For the coating
220g dark chocolate, chopped into pieces
Method:
Melt the butter gently in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium-high heat.
Then add the cream and heat both until simmering but not boiling, you want it just hot enough to melt chocolate but no hotter.
Pour the cream over your chocolate, stirring gently to melt it. If necessary you can transfer the mixture to a double boiler to finalise the melting, but you don’t want the mixture any hotter than necessary to melt the chocolate. Once melted, whisk in the Baileys & salt.
Pour the mixture into a bowl & refrigerate to set for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until set enough to mould with your hands.
Remove from the fridge and use a teaspoon to scoop out balls of ganache – round them with your hands as neatly or roughly as you like and place them on a freshly lined baking tray. Transfer this to the freezer until frozen solid.
To make the coating, place the remaining chocolate in a double boiler to melt, you don’t want it hot, just melted, so you should take it off the heat when there is about 1/4 of the chocolate left unmelted and stir to melt the rest.
Drop the frozen truffles into the chocolate 1 by 1, using 2 teaspoons to coat, then transfer them to a baking sheet, allowing any excess chocolate to run off. Decorate as you like & leave to cool and set at room temperature.
Lily Vanilli
Instagram: @lily_vanilli_cake
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Baileys
Instagram: @baileysofficial
baileys.com
