Baileys Cupcakes with Irish Cream Ganache Filling

Baileys Cupcakes are an easy vanilla cupcake made from scratch and filled with a silky Irish cream chocolate ganache. The same ganache is used to frost the cupcakes, giving each bite a rich, lightly boozy finish.

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This Baileys cupcake recipe is straightforward and quick to prepare. The tender, from-scratch vanilla cupcake is soft and moist, while the Irish cream ganache brings a decadent chocolate flavor with a touch of liqueur. The ganache works both as a filling and as the frosting, making these cupcakes an elegant yet simple treat.

Lightly boozy and seriously delicious, these cupcakes are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, dinner parties, or any time you want an impressive dessert. The cake is buttery and delicate, and the ganache delivers a pleasant Irish cream aroma without overwhelming the cupcake.

Why you will love this easy cupcake recipe

• Incredibly moist, soft buttery vanilla cupcakes.
• Simple ingredients you likely already have on hand.
• Quick and easy Irish cream chocolate ganache.
• Ganache serves as both the filling and the topping for a concentrated flavor.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Unsalted butter — room temperature.
• Granulated sugar — provides sweetness and structure.
• Eggs — two large, room temperature; recipe not tested with egg substitutes.
• Vanilla — pure vanilla extract for best flavor.
• Sour cream — full fat, room temperature. Full-fat plain yogurt can be substituted.
• Cake flour — if unavailable, make a substitute: measure flour, remove 3 tablespoons, add 3 tablespoons cornstarch, then sift together twice.
• Kosher salt — balances flavor; table salt can be used as a direct substitute.
• Baking powder — gives the cupcakes lift.
• Milk — 1% is used here, but 2% or whole milk work as well; avoid fat-free milk.
• Milk chocolate — 8 ounces baking bars, finely chopped.
• Heavy whipping cream — required for ganache; half-and-half or milk will not set properly.
• Irish cream liqueur — such as Baileys, Carolans, or another favorite; a non-alcoholic Irish cream creamer may substitute if needed, though results will differ.

How to make Irish cream ganache

Make the ganache first so it has time to cool and thicken before filling and frosting the cupcakes.

Finely chop the milk chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream and Irish cream together over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer—do not boil. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool and thicken at room temperature for about 1–2 hours, or until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

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Let’s make moist vanilla cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Cream the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar together for about 3 minutes until light and combined. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until evenly incorporated. Stir in the sour cream for 30–60 seconds; the batter may look slightly curdled at this stage.

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Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix until a little flour is still visible. Then slowly add the milk while the mixer runs on low, mixing just until the batter comes together. Avoid overmixing for the best texture.

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Divide the batter evenly among the prepared liners—about three tablespoons per cupcake—and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cupcakes rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

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How do you put filling inside a cupcake?

There are several easy ways to create a cavity for the filling: use a paring knife, an apple corer, or a large open star piping tip. The key is to leave the bottom of the cupcake intact and ensure the cupcakes are completely cool before coring.

With a paring knife, angle the blade at about 45° and cut out a cone-shaped piece from the center. With an apple corer, push it into the center and pull out the core. With a piping tip, press the tip into the cupcake, twist, and remove the cake piece. Trim a little off the removed piece so it will fit back on top of the ganache filling. Fill each cavity with the ganache using a spoon or small piping bag.

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Easy topping for frosting

Use the remaining Irish cream ganache as the frosting. Chill the ganache in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm it up. Once chilled, spoon and smooth it over the cupcake tops or pipe a rosette. A large star piping tip creates a classic peaked rosette, while a round tip gives a smooth domed look.

Do Baileys cupcakes contain alcohol?

The cupcake batter itself contains no alcohol, but the Irish cream ganache does. The ganache recipe uses 6 tablespoons of Irish cream liqueur in total, which amounts to roughly one and a half teaspoons of alcohol per cupcake when divided across twelve cupcakes. Keep this in mind for children, designated drivers, or anyone avoiding alcohol.

If you make these Baileys Cupcakes, please snap a picture and share it on social media — it’s a joy to see how your baking turns out. Happy baking!

More boozy desserts to enjoy

• Rum Coconut Cupcakes
• Tom & Jerry Tiramisu
• Fudgy Irish Cream Brownies
• Cherry Bourbon Crumble No-Churn Ice Cream
• Margarita Pie with Pretzel Crust

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Baileys Cupcakes (Filled with Irish Cream Ganache)

Baileys Cupcakes are a simple vanilla cupcake with an Irish cream chocolate ganache filling that doubles as the frosting. These cupcakes are lightly boozy and perfect for special occasions or any time you want a decadent treat.

Prep Time
20 minutes

Bake Time
20 minutes

Cooling Time
2 hours

Total Time
2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

Irish cream ganache

• 8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped (226 g)
• 6 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (90 mL)
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (60 mL)

Cupcakes

• 1 ½ cups cake flour (173 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature (60 g)
• ½ cup milk, room temperature (125 mL)

Instructions

1. For the Irish cream ganache: Place the finely chopped milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the Irish cream and heavy whipping cream together until just simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool and thicken at room temperature for about 1–2 hours.
2. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
3. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and kosher salt; set aside.
4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating 1–2 minutes, then add the sour cream and mix 30–60 seconds more.
5. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix until a little flour is still visible. Then slowly add the milk and mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners (about 3 tablespoons per cupcake). Bake 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. To fill the cupcakes: Use a paring knife, apple corer, or large star piping tip to remove the center of each cooled cupcake. Fill each cavity with Irish cream ganache, then replace the removed piece (trim if necessary).
9. Chill remaining ganache for 30 minutes, then spoon or pipe it onto the cupcakes. A large star tip creates a rosette look.

Notes

Use heavy whipping cream for the ganache; half-and-half or milk will not set properly. If you don’t have cake flour, remove 3 tablespoons from the measured flour and replace with 3 tablespoons cornstarch, then sift together twice. Full-fat sour cream yields the best texture; full-fat plain yogurt may be substituted. Ganache can be stored at room temperature for up to two days, then refrigerated. Store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 368
Total Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 65mg
Sodium: 104mg
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 30g
Protein: 5g

The nutrition information is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate.