Irish Cream Cupcakes & Italian Meringue Buttercream - Recipe and Review

If you have enjoyed all the Irish Cream coffee throughout the month of March (or any time of year) you do not want to miss out on these Irish Cream cupcakes!

From the perfectly sweet chocolate cake to the Irish cream frosting, this is one that is sure to delight even the most picky of sweet tooths.

We were inspired by King Arthur Baking Company to make these cupcakes, but had to make our own changes to match our palates and what we had access to in the pantry. Our recipe includes half the cupcakes, half the frosting, a touch less butter, but all the sweet and creamy flavor you are looking for in an Irish Cream cupcake. These cupcakes are impossible to stay away from!

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Irish Cream Cupcakes (Yield: 6)

Batter

• ¾ c flour (use cake flour if you have it, but all purpose works great)

• ¼ c cocoa powder

• ½ c sugar

• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

• 1 egg, room temperature

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• ⅛ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 88 ml/~ 6 fl. oz brewed coffee (we used an Irish cream coffee for even more flavor, but any medium/dark roast would be delicious)

• ⅛ cup Irish Cream (we used Bailey’s)

• Optional: Add small chunks of chopped dark chocolate.

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a baking tray with 6 cups. 

2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the egg, butter, and vanilla and mix until combined.

3. Slowly combine the cooled coffee* and liqueur. Once mixed, add the chopped dark chocolate if desired. 

4. Fill the cupcake tins until ⅔ full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

5. Remove from the oven, pop the cupcakes out of the tray, and cool on a cooling rack.

6. Prep your Irish Cream Italian Meringue Buttercream while the cupcakes cool.

*If the coffee is not cooled to room temp, or at least close to, it will activate the baking powder and soda too early.

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Irish Cream Italian Meringue Buttercream

** If you have never made a meringue buttercream before, I would highly recommend watching some youtube videos as there is a lot of technique (and moments of panic) before this comes together.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter – room temp, cut into 1” equal chunks

• 1 tbsp Baileys (up to two)

• 2 egg whites, room temp

• ⅛ tsp salt

• ⅛ tsp cream of tartar

• ⅙ cup sugar

1.Beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar together. Slowly pour in the ⅙ cup sugar until soft peaks form.

• ½ cup sugar

• ⅙ cup water

2. In a saucepan on medium/low heat, add ½ cup sugar and ⅙ cup water. (Or to make it easier, use 1 cup sugar and ⅓ cup water but only use half when you pour).

3. Stir until the sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain until the temperature reads 235-240℉. 

4. As soon as it reaches temp, slowly pour it into the soft peaks while continuing to mix. If you do not have a stand mixer and only a hand mixer, ask someone to slowly pour in your sugar syrup while you continue to beat the meringue.

5. The sugar syrup is cooking the egg whites and if added too quickly, the meringue can split. Be patient and beat continuously.

6. Once the sugar syrup is added, continue beating the meringue until the bowl has cooled. Some people put frozen veggies around the edges to aid this process. I used a metal bowl (and a hand mixer) and it cooled quickly.

7. Once the meringue is room temp, begin adding the chunks of room temperature butter one at a time, mixing well after each one. Once the butter is incorporated, add 1 tbsp of Irish Cream (adjust to taste). Continue to beat until the frosting is combined and silky. This can take several minutes.

8. Once the cupcakes are cooled, pipe or dollop the buttercream frosting on the top in a generous fashion. Then enjoy it immediately!

Review:

I absolutely loved how these cupcakes turned out. The chocolate cake wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet and instead had an airy and gentle crumb with a crisp sugary top. The frosting was creamy and didn’t taste like I was eating straight butter (as other buttercreams do, in my opinion). I loved how the chocolate and Irish cream came together. The first time around, we did not add in chunks of dark chocolate to the batter, but next time we will. It’ll add an additional richness and texture that would make these cupcakes even more delectable. 

Pair this with your favorite Irish cream coffee (or any medium or dark roast coffee) and enjoy!

Mrs. Brew