Bailey’s Irish Cream Cupcakes

It's St. Patrick's Day on the Circle!  What better way to celebrate than to make a dessert with "a little" Bailey's Irish Cream (ok, maybe not so little).  When looking for "an Irish dessert" on Pinterest, I found tons of chocolate based desserts, but I was really trying to find something sans chocolate so our friend Rich could partake (he's sadly allergic to anything of chocolatey goodness).  I asked Charlotte if he liked Bailey's and she said HECK YA.  I came across this recipe.  They smell phenomenal while baking and were pretty good.  I will say the cake batter was a little heavier than I thought it would be, but now that I think of it, with this much Bailey's in it, I doubt it would be a fluffy cake, you know what I mean?  All-in-all, I'd give them a bottoms up :-D

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare cupcake pans with liners – approximately for 24-30 cupcakes.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with a stand mixer.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the liqueur, water and milk. Mix well.
5. In a third bowl, thoroughly combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the liqueur 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.
   (The tops also crack a little- that’s fine.)
8. Frost with Bailey’s Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting

Bailey’s Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting

• 2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 6 Tbsp. (more or less, to preference) Bailey’s Irish Cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Cream the butter on high speed for approximately 3 minutes.
2. Add the Bailey’s Irish Cream and mix thoroughly.
3. Slowly add the powdered sugar until well blended.
4. If necessary, add more Bailey’s to thin or more sugar to thicken it to desired texture.

Adapted from Cupcake Rehab blog