A vanilla cupcake spiked with boozy homemade Irish cream and finished with a decadent chocolate buttercream frosting is the pinnacle of St. Patrick’s Day treats!
A sweet Irish cream vanilla cupcake with just the right amount of bitterness from espresso pairs perfectly with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting.
My St. Patrick’s Day dessert escapades continue with these gorgeous Irish cream cupcakes with chocolate frosting. I made so much Irish cream that I just couldn’t let it go to waste, now could I? Since I developed two chocolate cupcake recipes–a Guinness chocolate cupcake and a mint chocolate chip cupcake–I needed to switch it up with a vanilla base and a chocolate frosting. Immediately, I wanted to add my Irish cream to a simple vanilla cupcake base and finish it with a decadent dark chocolate buttercream frosting.
These Irish cream cupcakes turned out so beautifully! I absolutely loved the subtle hint of Irish cream paired with just enough espresso to give it a subtle bitterness without being too heavy-handed.
How to make Irish cream cupcakes with chocolate frosting
These cupcakes come together fairly quickly with minimal prep, unless you decide to make homemade Irish cream first!
What you need
- Cupcake batter: You’ll use brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, and Irish cream to create the wet batter. You’ll use flour, instant espresso powder, baking powder, and salt for the dry ingredients.
- Chocolate buttercream frosting: You’ll use unsweetened cocoa powder and powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.
- For decorating: As always, festive St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles are a cute way to top off these cupcakes!
How to make it
- Step 1: First, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
- Step 2: Make the wet batter. Start by beating the brown sugar and butter together. Add two eggs and beat until smooth. Finish with the sour cream, vanilla extract, and Irish cream. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms. Don’t overwork the flour!
- Step 4: Bake the cupcakes. Line a cupcake tin and fill each liner about ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove and transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Step 5: Make the frosting. When the cupcakes have cooled completely, combine the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, butter, milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, adding another tablespoon or so of milk or cream if needed to reach a smooth, creamy buttercream.
You can pipe or spoon the frosting onto the cupcakes and decorate with your favorite sprinkles to add a festive touch.
Irish Cream Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup Irish cream (Bailey’s, homemade, or your favorite brand)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate buttercream frosting:
- 3½ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch-process cocoa powder)
- 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 to 6 tablespoons whole milk (or heavy cream)
For decoration (optional):
Instructions
Before beginning:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Prepare the dry ingredients:
- Sift together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Prepare the wet ingredients:
- Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until combined.
- Add the eggs and beat until combined. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and Irish cream. Continue mixing until completely smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the batter:
- Add the bowl of dry ingredients to the batter and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined. Don’t overwork the flour!
Bake the cupcakes:
- Pour the batter into the liners, filling each one up about ⅔ of the way full. Transfer to the oven for 20 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.
Make the chocolate buttercream frosting:
- Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the butter and heavy cream. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, being careful not to overmix. Add another tablespoon of heavy cream if needed for the frosting to reach a smooth, creamy consistency.
Frost the cupcakes:
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake.
To serve:
- Sprinkle the cupcakes with festive St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles.
