Irish Coffee Cake

March 18, 2015

I may earn money from products/companies mentioned in this post. This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission, at no extra charge to you, when you shop through my links. You're support is greatly appreciated!

Honestly, I was fighting off a two-year-old monkey, I mean girl, when I piped these borders.! She wanted on the table!

Well, it seems this year is just going to fly by and I honestly can’t believe St. Patrick’s Day is already here! Keeping with tradition, I’m sure most schools and businesses were filled with people threatening flirty pinches for those not wearing any shade of green today. I’m also sure that college kids everywhere are planning a big night out. I know I sure used to look forward to St. Patty’s day parties back in the day! But, the days of long nights out toasting and shouting “sláinte!” with the cool kids on March 17 are over and done. For this boring grown-up today is just a regular Tuesday. It’s also school night, so helping my eight–year–old with math homework is what’s on the social schedule for me tonight!

Even though no festive happy hour is on the agenda today, there are still plenty of wonderful Irish things to celebrate at home: my Irish friends, the color green (my favorite!), rainbows, pots of gold, and Bailey’s Irish Creme! Bailey’s is so good! In my opinion, a nice, strong cup of Irish coffee is just a wonderful thing…even a necessary thing on some days! Now, it‘s certainly not an daily habit to drink my coffee with a healthy pour of the good stuff, but on holidays or lazy weekend mornings you can usually bet on it.

So, I wanted to make something special to put a little extra spark of Irish spirit into this St. Patrick’s Day evening. I was still thinking about that cup of Irish coffee and then I wondered if I could create a similar flavor in a cake. I mean, a cake is pretty grown-up and definitely proper on a Tuesday! I decided to make a coffee-flavored cake and top it with a Bailey’s infused whipped cream frosting! It just had to be a light, fluffy whipped cream frosting, no ultra-rich buttercream this time.

This cake was a spur of the moment decision and I‘m certain that the luck of the Irish had a hand in it turning out well! I bumped another pre-planned post to see how this would go. This cake was rich, flavorful and fun! And, if you come to my house for dinner anytime soon you just might get one for dessert.

Irish Coffee Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon instant expresso powder
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Bailey’s Irish Cream Frosting

1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
chocolate shaving for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare two 8 x 2 inch cakes pans with cooking spray and parchment circles and set aside.

2. In large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and expresso powder. Set aside

3. In a medium size bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add in the vanilla & eggs

4. Combine half of the flour mixture with the butter mixture. Pour in half of the buttermilk. Stir until just combined and add the rest of the dry ingredients and buttermilk.

5. Pour batter evenly into your prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and remove from pans after 10 minutes. Allow them to cool completely.

6. Now, make the Irish Cream Frosting. Using a mixer, start whipping the cream on low speed setting. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and spoonfuls of Bailey’s. Keep whipping on low speed until the icing just has stiff peaks.

7. Spread the frosting onto the cooled coffee cakes, top with chocolate shavings or another garnish and serve. Enjoy!