IRISH CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH BAILEYS BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

This Irish chocolate cake with Baileys buttercream frosting is both decadent and addictive with layers of moist chocolate cake adorned with Baileys buttercream frosting.

Not a traditional Gaelic recipe from times of yore, you understand, so what makes this cake Irish? The butter – real Irish butter and lots of it! This is a ‘pull on your comfy yoga pants and don’t try your jeans for at least week’ sort of cake!

The cake is just how you want a chocolate cake to be… nice and chocolatey with real melted chocolate in the batter so it actually tastes like chocolate. The first one I made (don’t ask) didn’t have enough chocolate taste so it was back to the cake drawing board. Originally, the frosting was going to be a plain buttercream and then I thought, what could I do to make it more Irish that also complements the chocolate? Baileys Irish cream, of course! So I added a few tablespoons to the frosting and I’m so glad I did. As I was frosting the cake, the luscious smell of the Baileys kept wafting up to my nose and wow is it good!

Ingredients

For the cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely
8 ounces unsalted Irish butter, room temperature
1½ cups fine granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
For the buttercream

1½ cups unsalted Irish butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup Bailey's Irish cream

Instructions

For the cake

Position oven rack to center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
Line the bottom of a 10 inch round cake tin with parchment paper and grease the sides.
To a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa,set aside.
Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between until melted.
To a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the eggs to the butter and sugar one-at-a-time while beating then the milk.
Fold in the flour mix and chocolate into the butter mix and fold until well mixed.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Turn the cake onto a wire cooling rack and remove the parchment paper. Allow to cool completely.
Once cool, cut the cake in half to make 2 cake layers.
For the buttercream
Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Stir in the Bailey's until well mixed.
Using a spatula, spread half of the frosting onto the top of one of the cakes. Place the other layer on top and spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
Allow the cake to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

It's so delicious... ^_^

Cookpad