Baileys Chocolate Cake (Perfect for the New Year’s Party)
This Baileys chocolate cake is the perfect dessert for the New Year’s party. It has all the ingredients to satisfy all of your cravings. It is chocolate, sweet and boozy. Who doesn’t want to have fun on New Year’s Eve? Usually that is the time to indulge a little and regret it the next day. That is how New Year’s resolutions are created.
I’m going to take a moment to explain what Baileys is for those of you who don’t know. That is one of my favorite alcoholic drinks. It is a liquor made with cream, whiskey and sugar. It tastes like an alcoholic desert.
I’ve created this recipe with the winter Holidays in mind. This is the time when I love to have a glass of Baileys next to the fireplace while watching holiday movies. This year I took it to another level by having a slice of the Baileys chocolate cake along with a glass of my favorite liquor. The combination was so good that I think I’m going to have to make a new tradition.
Helpful Tips
I use a scale to separate the cake mixture evenly between the two nine-inch pans. If you don’t have a scale just use your own judgment.
Do not over mix the cream because it can separate. Stop beating it when you have stiff peaks. The cream will get thicker when the cake is frosted and chilled overnight.
Moisten each cake layer with a mixture of milk and Baileys. This will create a moist and flavorful cake.
MAKING CHOCOLATE GANACHE
To make the chocolate ganache add 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to a bowl. You can prepare ganache in the microwave or on the stovetop.
MICROWAVE METHOD
Put the chocolate and cream in a microwave save bowl and heat it for 30 seconds. Then stir well and heat for another 30 seconds. Repeat the process by stirring between each heating cycle until the chocolate is melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. Do not allow the cream to start boiling.
STOVETOP METHOD
Create a double boiler by putting the bowl with the cream and the chocolate over a pot with simmering water. Stir the chocolate and cream slowly until the chocolate is melted.
The cream will become thicker as it chills. Allow the cake at least 6 hours in the refrigerator before slicing it.
Disclaimer: This cake contains alcohol, and it is not suitable for people under the age of 21.
Baileys Chocolate Cake (Perfect for the New Year’s Party)
Ingredients
- For the cake
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup milk of choice I useds whole
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish cream liquor
- ½ cup cooking oil I used sunflower but canola works too
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cacao powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup boiling water
- For the Chocolate Ganache
- 2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- For the cream
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish cream liquor
- all of the chocolate Ganache
- For moistening the cake
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 Tbsp Baileys Irish cream liquor
- Other ingredients
- Chocolate for grating (decorating)
- nonstick baking spray
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with nonstick baking spray.
- Add the sugar and the eggs in a bowl and whisk them together (by hand or with a mixer). To the same bowl add the milk, Baileys liquor and the oil. Continue whisking until sugar is dissolved.
- In another bowl sift the flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir them well and add them to the wet ingredients. Then add the boiling water to the mixture and continue to slowly mix all the ingredients until everything is well combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two 9 inch pans. I use a scale to make sure that the cake layers will be the same.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool off the cake layers for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and place them on cooling racks. Cool them off completely before frosting.
To make the chocolate ganache
- Melt two cups of chocolate chips with a cup of heavy cream. Read the blog post for specific instructions how to do that. Cool off the ganache before you make the frosting.
To make the filling/frosting
- Add three cups heavy cream to a bowl with the cooled off ganache and ¼ cup of Baileys in a mixing bowl. Beat them together (with mixer on high) until the mixture thickness and forms stiff peaks.
To assemble the cake
- Place one cake layer with the smooth surface down on a large cake plate.
- Prepare a mixture of ¼ cup of milk and 2 tablespoons Baileys. Moisten the cake with half of that mixture using a food safe brush.
- Add about a cup of the cream on top of the cake and smooth it a little bit.
- Add gently the second cake layer on top (flat side up). Do not press down. Brush the rest of the milk and Baileys on top.
- Add the rest of the cream to the top and the sides of the cake and chill overnight.
- Before serving grate some chocolate on top (optional).
Notes
