Chocolate Irish Cream Cake
Moist and exceptionally chocolatey, this Chocolate Irish Cream Cake is infused with Irish Cream, slathered in a generous helping of Irish Cream cream cheese frosting, and drizzled in silky chocolate ganache!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chips or chopped
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup Irish Cream (I used Bailey's)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Irish Cream Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 5 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons Irish Cream (I used Bailey's)
Chocolate Ganache:
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9-inch round cake pan* with parchment paper and grease with butter or nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the boiling water, espresso powder, and semi-sweet chocolate until chocolate has dissolved and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, Irish Cream, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Add the cooled espresso-chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pan and bake in the oven for 41-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with few crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Make the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Add the salt and vanilla, beating until combined. Beat in the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add a tablespoon of the Irish Cream, beating until creamy. Add more Irish Cream, if desired. Spread frosting evenly on top of cooled cake.
Make the Ganache:
- Place chocolate in a medium bowl; set aside. Pour heavy cream into a small saucepan and heat on the stove over medium-high heat. Once it starts to simmer, immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, and stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*Make sure cake pan is at least 2.5-3 inches deep to prevent spillover.