Bailey’s Layered Cake is rich, dark chocolate cake and topped with a creamy Bailey’s Frosting.
A while back my husband and I went on a date night. We found ourselves wandering around the streets of a small town. We happened upon a local bakery and their special for the day was a Bailey’s Irish Cream layer cake.
We decided to split a slice of cake because it just called our names. It was the best tasting cake that I had ever put in my mouth. We don’t typically drink alcohol so I was very skeptical at first. But, the sweet creaminess from Bailey’s just really made the cake. I knew that I had to come home and try my hand at making a Bailey’s Cake myself.
Can I substitute Bailey’s in this cake?
I recommend giving the cake a try with Bailey’s. However, if you want to leave it out you could substitute with any brand Irish Cream Whiskey. Or, if you don’t want alcohol in your frosting, you can either just use milk and have a creamy vanilla frosting. Trust me, that’s still delicious! You could also use an Irish Cream flavored coffee creamer to get the Irish Cream flavor without the alcohol.
What is the easiest way to frost a layered cake?
The easiest way to frost a layered cake is by using piping bags. I always recommend putting your piping bags into a tall glass to help you fill them easier. If you have a piping tip that you want to use, make sure to put the tip into the piping bag before you add the frosting. However, if you don’t have a piping tip just snip the tip of the frosting bag off and you are good to go.
Squeeze the frosting in a spiral on the top of each layer for the cake. Use a knife to spread the frosting and make it smooth. Once you have stacked all the layers, squeeze some frosting into the sides of the cake and then smooth with a knife.
How long does the cake stay fresh?
I have found that cake can stay fresh on the counter for up to five days. You will need to make sure that you keep your cake covered when you are not slicing it. I don’t recommend storing your cake in the refrigerator as it tends to dry out the cake in my experience.
Can I bake this cake in a different pan?
Don’t have three 9 inch cake pans and want to make a different kind of cake? You can turn this cake into a 9×13 but you will have enough batter left over to make 12 cupcakes on top of the 9×13 pan.
Bailey's Layered Cake
Equipment
- 3 9 inch round cake pans
- 1 piping bag with a star tip
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 C all purpose flour
- 2 C sugar
- ¾ C special dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ C milk
- 1 C canola oil
- ¾ C warm water
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ C canola oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted sweet cream butter softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Bailey's Irish Cream
- 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 7 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray three 9 in cake pans with pam baking spray
- In a small bowl, whisk together the espresso and the warm water until combined
- Using your standing mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa
- powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt until combined
- Gradually add in the eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, espresso, oil and vanilla extract until combined
- Divide the batter between the 3 pans
- Place in the oven to bake for 25-35 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean
- Allow cakes to cool for 20 minutes
Frosting Directions
- Using a standing mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, Bailey’s and heavy whipping cream until combined and creamy and stiff with peaks
- Scoop 1 C of frosting into the piping bag
Frosting Cake Directions
- Place 1 layer of cake onto the cake board
- Using the ice cream scooper, scoop out 4-6 scoops of frosting and smooth evenly on one layer of cake
- Place another layer of cake on top and spread more frosting
- Place the last layer on top and frost the remaining cake with remaining frosting
- Coat the bottom sides of the cake in the mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Ganache Directions
- Using a small pot, heat up the heavy whipping cream until steaming
- While heavy whipping cream is heating up, place chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl
- Once the heavy whipping cream is heated, pour over the chocolate chips
- Allow to sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth
- Pour ganache into the squeeze bottle
- Pipe dollops of ganache over the edge of the cake
- Pipe dollops of frosting onto the top of the cake
- Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips all over the top of the cake
- Cut and serve and enjoy