Sparks from the Kitchen

St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone again.  For so many years I went to the parade in the city and it was always cold and rainy.   I haven’t been to the parade in ages now and I guess that’s ok-you can’t drink on the street anymore. Where’s the fun in that?

I’d tried to make Bailey’s cupcakes a few times and they always came out awful-either runny, not tasty, never set, hard as a rock or just flat gross. These were the opposite. While the cake is dense (almost like pound cake) the flavor’s there.  These are pretty sweet hence the small schmear of frosting.  Too much frosting irritates me anyway.

Bailey’s Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Insert 24 liners into tin(s).
2. In a the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat well.
4. In a separate smaller bowl combine the Baileys water and milk. Mix well.
5. In third bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Add the flour and Baileys mixture (alternating as you add) to the sugar mixture. Beat on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes.
7. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for about 25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.

Frosting:

Makes about 1 cup of frosting.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp Baileys
• 10 drops green food coloring
• white or clear finishing sugar

Directions:

1. Put butter in bowl of stand mixer and, with beater on low, slowly add the powdered sugar until combined.
2. Add Baileys until desired taste/texture is achieved
3. Add food coloring until desired shade is reached.
4. Frost cupcakes. Finish with sugar if desired.

Note: if you put foil under the cupcakes while sprinkling the sugar you won’t lose any that falls off. Just resprinkle. See below.

Cake recipe from cupcakerehab.com