This rich and moist Bailey's Irish cream chocolate cake recipe is made with three kinds of chocolate and Bailey’s Irish cream liqueur. What better cake to lift your spirits?
Have a slice of this delicious Bailey’s Irish cream chocolate cake! It’s so full of chocolate and booze; you can be sure it will put you in the mood for celebrating St Patrick’s Day.
On top of that, this chocolaty Bailey’s chocolate cake is super easy and quick to make, and it stays moist and fresh for days.
For more delicious St. Patrick’s Day recipes, check out this green Spinach Cake, the Sweet Irish Soda Bread, the Irish Brown Bread Recipe, or the Dutch oven Irish Stew (with Guinness).
Or check out another moist chocolate cake, this amazing Chocolate Gateau with ganache filling.
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Recipe ingredients
Bailey’s: Irish cream liqueur, an alcoholic beverage made with whiskey, cream, and cocoa. Use it to make more desserts: Bailey's Bundt Cake, Bailey's Fudge, or Bailey's Muffins.
Chocolate: Semi-sweet chocolate chips for the batter and dark chocolate with at least 72% cocoa for the glaze. You might also need chocolate sprinkles or shavings to decorate the Irish chocolate cake.
Cocoa: Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Bailey’s Irish cream chocolate cake?
- Preheat the oven. Lightly grease a baking tin and line it with parchment paper. Or butter and flour the tin well; shake the pan over the sink to remove the excess flour.
- Step #1: Cream the softened butter and the sugar for 3-4 minutes in a large mixing bowl or the stand mixer’s bowl.
- Step #2: Beat in the eggs for another minute.
- Step #3: Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and sift them over the butter mixture. Mix them in very shortly on low speed. Pour in the Irish cream liqueur and mix shortly to combine at low speed
- Step #4: Fold in the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes and let cool completely before glazing.
- Step #5: Make the glaze. Melt the chocolate at bain-marie (water bath), add the chopped butter, and stir with a metal spoon until the glaze is shiny and smooth.
- Step #6: Place the cake on a serving plate, glaze it immediately, letting a bit of the glaze drop off the sides of the cake, and garnish its top if desired.
Tips
Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) in baking; it guarantees the best results. For example, I measured the flour needed for this recipe in cups as well, but I still recommend using the metric system; it’s more accurate.
Bake the Bailey's Irish cream chocolate cake immediately after stirring the batter. Ensure the oven is preheated and the baking tin is already prepared. If the batter waits for the oven to get hot, the baking powder will lose power, and the batter won’t rise. Never place the batter in an oven that hasn’t reached the right temperature.
Recipe FAQs
No, you can leave the cake “naked” or sprinkle it with powdered sugar before serving. You can top it with buttercream, whipped cream frosting, the frosting we used for the Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, and so on.
Sure, we prefer dark chocolate on top of the cake, but you can substitute it with semi-sweet chocolate if you don’t like it or don’t have it.
How to store Bailey's chocolate cake?
Keep the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Refrigerate it in an airtight container to keep it longer (up to one week).
Freeze the Bailey's Irish cream chocolate cake or the leftover slices in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the fridge.
How to serve?
As it is or with whipped heavy cream, crème fraiche mixed with a bit of brown sugar, or a dollop of vanilla ice cream. My husband likes to pour some extra Bailey’s on top.
Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- Springform or cake tin 9 inches/ 23 cm
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Bailey’s chocolate cake (Note 1):
- 1 ¾ sticks unsalted butter soft, Note 2
- 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup
- 3 eggs large
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour cup
- ½ cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons Bailey’s
- ½ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet
Glaze:
- 3 oz dark chocolate 72% Note 3
- 1½ oz unsalted butter
- chocolate sprinkles or shavings for decoration, optional
Instructions
Bailey’s chocolate cake:
- Preheat the oven to 360°F/ 180°C. Line a springform with parchment paper or butter and flour it thoroughly.
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl or the stand mixer bowl; it will take about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs and beat the mixture for another minute.1 ¾ sticks unsalted butter + 1 cup granulated sugar + 3 eggs large
- Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and sift them over the butter mixture. Mix them in very shortly at low speed. Pour in the Bailey’s and mix shortly to combine. Scrape the walls and bottom of the bowl as well. 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour + ½ cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder + 2 teaspoons baking powder + pinch of salt + ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons Bailey’s
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula. Don’t over-stir the batter.½ cup chocolate chips
- Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Check the top of the cake after 35-40 minutes; if it’s getting too dark, cover it loosely with aluminum foil (I always have to do that).
- Cool the cake in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool completely before making the glaze and glazing it.
Chocolate glaze:
- Chop the chocolate very finely. Place it into a small heatproof bowl.3 oz dark chocolate 72%
- Bain-marie (water bath): Half-fill a saucepan with water. Place the bowl with the chocolate on top; it should fit on top of the saucepan and not touch the water. Heat the water gently and stir the chocolate with a metal spoon until melted. Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan and the bowl of chocolate on the hob.
- Add the cubed butter to the chocolate and stir until the mixture is shiny and perfectly smooth.1½ oz unsalted butter
- Glaze the top of the cake immediately after making the glaze.
- Sprinkle the cake with chocolate sprinkles or shavings if desired.chocolate sprinkles or shavings
Notes
- Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) in baking; it guarantees the best results (Amazon affiliate link). I measured the flour needed for this recipe and indicated the amount of butter in sticks, but I still recommend using the metric system; it’s more accurate.
- Room temperature: Ensure that the butter is soft. Otherwise, you cannot cream it properly with the sugar. Also, the eggs and Bailey’s should be at room temperature.
- Substitute with semi-sweet chocolate if you like.
Deborah says
Another fabulous cake Adina. Looks delicious and decadent 🥰perfect for a quick comforting treat when not much time to spare. Great to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and Mothering Sunday! Please could you indicate oven temperature or have I overlooked!🥰. Happy Baking!👩🍳
Adina says
Hi Deborah. Sorry, I overlooked it. 180°C/ 360°F.
Deborah says
@Adina, Brilliant. Thank you for including so promptly. Looking forward to every mouthful of this chocolatey luscious cake! Thank you for sharing and giving baking inspiration!