Cakes & Cupcakes • Chocolate
Baileys Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake
March 17, 2021
An rich and decadent Baileys dark chocolate bundt cake flavored with a hint of Irish cream and topped with a shiny […]
An rich and decadent Baileys dark chocolate bundt cake flavored with a hint of Irish cream and topped with a shiny chocolate glaze. Simple to make, delicious to eat, and always a crowd pleaser!
It’s St. Patrick’s Day friends and while I’ve never been one for dressing head to toe in green or downing pints of green tinted beer, we do have a few traditions in our house that we’ve kept up through the years. I always give my girls a stash of gold wrapped chocolate coins for good luck and, like a good mother, check to be sure they are wearing a token green ribbon in their hair or a pair of bright green socks before they set off for school.
The hubs will man the griddle if St. Patty’s falls on a weekend, making homemade pancakes died with green food coloring number “not natural”. And even though my girls are aren’t so little anymore, they’ve been known to build a leprechaun trap or two the night before just for giggles. We’ve still yet to catch that leprechaun.
For me, St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect occasion to bake up a boozy bundt. Skip the beer, give me the bundt! You all know that chocolate on chocolate is my favorite kind of chocolate. But throw in a hint of espresso and a dash of Irish liqueur and swoooooon!!! I created this dark and decadent baileys chocolate bundt cake especially with St. Patrick’s Day in mind. Because who doesn’t love a moist, ultra chocolate cake spiked with creamy Irish cream liqueur?? It’s the ultimate chocolate lover’s dessert!
A little bit about Baileys if you haven’t baked with it before. Bailey’s Irish Cream is a flavored liqueur made with cream, cocoa, and Irish whiskey. It has a subtle flavor that doesn’t overwhelm which makes it perfect for adding to baked goods. The flavor of the Baileys coupled with the espresso gives this chocolate bundt cake a warm, deep chocolate flavor that I find irresistible. And don’t even get me stared on the texture of the crumb…it’s just soooo good!
Pinch me!!
I always love a pretty little bundt because they are easy to make, delicious to eat, and don’t require much in the way of decorating skills. Unlike a more fussy layer cake, a bundt cake looks beautiful straight from the pan and can be adorned with a simple shiny glaze before serving.
I mean….just look at that shine!
I betcha wanna know the trick to that super smooth, glossy finish? It’s vegetable oil. Yep. Just two teaspoons added to the chocolate ganache and your cake will sparkle and shine from a mile away. You can make the ganache without the added oil but I say it’s #worthit for the shine factor. You can also feel free to add a dash of Baileys Irish Cream to the glaze for an extra dose of booze. You do you.
How to make Bailey’s chocolate bundt cake
If you’re new to baking bundt cakes, head on over and check out this post all about how to make the perfect bundt. It’s full of all the bundt cake basics you need to know.
Prep your pan. The key to a pretty little bundt is to keep the cake from sticking to the pan. For best results, use a non-stick pan like this one from Nordicware. Be sure to spray the pan thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray but avoid spraying so much that pools of spray gather in the bottom of the pan. If you feel the need to dust your pan, sift unsweetened cocoa over the pan and then flip over to remove the excess. This will help to keep that rich, dark color.
Use room temperature ingredients + extra hot espresso. Room temperature ingredients are critical to the success of 99% of cake recipes. For best results, set your ingredients out the night before you bake this bundt. That includes your eggs, butter and sour cream. On the flip side, be sure that your espresso is piping hot when you add it to the batter at the final step. The extra hot temperature of the liquid helps to “bloom” the cocoa powder creating a deep, rich chocolate flavor. Yes, please!
It’s all about the cocoa. I use Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder in the recipe for a more intense chocolate flavor and deep, dark color. Since the recipe includes both baking powder and baking soda, any unsweetened cocoa powder will technically work if you do not have Dutch process on hand. Pro-tip: Be sure to sift the cocoa powder before adding to the dry ingredients for a smooth, even crumb.
Master the flip. This is trickier than it sounds but don’t worry…you got this! Getting your bundt from the pan to the serving dish is a cinch if you follow two simple steps. First, allow the bundt to cool in the pan (on a cooling rack) for 10 minutes. Set your timer once the cake comes out of the oven and never wait more than 15 minutes to remove the cake as you will risk it sticking to the pan. Place a cooling rack or serving plate across the top of the bundt pan and holding tightly, flip it over in one quick motion to release. Second, if it does not fall from the pan immediately in one whole piece, turn the pan back over and allow it to cool in the pan for a few more minutes. Repeat the flip and tap the bottom of the pan firmly to help release the cake. If your cake comes out with a few missing pieces stuck to the bottom of the pan, don’t despair. The cake will still taste AH-mazing and you can hide anything under a thick layer of chocolate ganache. Like everything else, practice makes perfect, so if at first you don’t succeed – try, try again.
This baileys dark chocolate bundt cake is as easy as it is delicious which makes it the perfect dessert for any occasion. It’s so perfectly festive for St. Patrick’s Day and it’s magically delicious if I do say so myself.
Happy St. Patty’s Day bakers!
**Recipe originally posted in March 2020.
If you like this Baileys Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake, you may also like:
Baileys Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 cake 1x
- Category: Cakes
Description
An rich and decadent Baileys dark chocolate bundt cake flavored with a hint of Irish cream and topped with a shiny chocolate glaze. Simple to make, delicious to eat, and always a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
For Cake
- 1 cup (226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (218 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups (75 g) unsweetened cocoa, Dutch process, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur (such as Baileys)
- 1/3 cup hot freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee
For Glaze
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Instructions
For Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. This will take about 4 minutes.
Scrape down sides of bowl and then add sour cream, mixing until just incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Add eggs, one at a time, until fully combined.
Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture gradually, alternating with the Irish cream. Begin and end with the flour mixture.
Do not over mix. A few streaks of flour remaining is fine.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir in the hot espresso, being careful not to over mix the batter.
Spray a 10-15 cup bundt pan generously with non-stick baking spray. Be careful to cover the entire bundt pan but do not allow the spray to pool in the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt.
Tap the pan three times firmly on the countertop to release any air bubbles.
Bake on the center rack of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes (do not wait more than 15 minutes max), release the cake from the pan by inverting it onto a platter or cooling rack. If the cake does not easily release, keep the cake in the bundt mould and flip it back over to rest for 5 more minutes.
Cool the cake completely before adding chocolate ganache.
For Glaze
Add chopped chocolate to a heat proof bowl.
In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a simmer. Do not boil. Cream is ready once small bubbles appear around edges of the pan.
Pour hot cream and syrup over the chocolate and allow to stand for 1 minute.
Stir in vegetable oil and whisk until smooth and shiny.
For even more Irish cream flavor, add in 1-2 tablespoons (to taste) of Irish cream liqueur as you stir.
Allow ganache to cool slightly before pouring over the top of the bundt.
Notes
Store cake in a cool, dry place tightly covered.
Bundt cake may be frozen before adding chocolate ganache. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
To defrost, remove the cake from the freezer and defrost at room temperature.
Can substitute whole milk for the Irish liquor.
Can substitute hot water for espresso.
Funfetti Pound Cake
11 Comments
Diane Brina
March 18, 2024 at 5:49 amThe cake was a delicious hit for our St. Patrick’s day dinner.
Mallory Keith Wixom
March 15, 2023 at 3:25 amI noticed that there isn’t a sweetening agent in the ganache. Is that intentional to bring out a rich, dark flavor? Or am I missing something?
Anonymous
January 26, 2023 at 7:54 pmI made the cake today, but without Bailey’s as its not available here. I added another 1/3 cup of coffee to make up for it, and the cake came out really moist and light. I improvised on the ganache. Used much less dark choc mixed with salt, vanilla extract and cream and milk, and sugar. Just a drop of oil for the gloss! Was delicious!
Shweta KM
January 2, 2022 at 12:25 amWhat a beautiful cake.
Made it for New Year’s Eve and it was a hit.
So easy to make. The cake texture is just perfect. It just popped out of the tin like a dream. Next time I would just like to soak the cake with a little bit more of the Baileys for a stronger flavour.
Overall, an absolute smasher. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you
Barbara
March 31, 2021 at 12:34 pmThe glaze ingredients do not list syrup, yet you mention syrup in the glaze instructions.
What syrup, and how much?
Heather Mubarak
April 1, 2021 at 12:53 amHi Barbara, the glaze calls for more Irish Cream Liquor if you want even more Bailey’s flavor in the cake. I think a tablespoon is plenty if you choose to add it. Enjoy!
Vibhuti Sood
May 17, 2020 at 7:01 pmHi can I use a regular cake tin instead of a Bundt tin ? What size would you recommend ?
Bushra
April 18, 2020 at 5:26 pmhey
I do not drink alcohol what can be the substitution for Irish cream liquor
Heather Mubarak
April 18, 2020 at 5:43 pmYou could substitute 1/4 cup of whole milk in place of the Irish cream liquor. I have not made it this way but it should work just fine. Enjoy!
Chelsea
March 13, 2020 at 7:20 pmI don’t have access to Dutch processed cocoa, only regular Hershey’s Cocoa. What happens if I use the regular cocoa? Will it affect the cake?
Heather Mubarak
March 16, 2020 at 7:26 amHi Chelsea,
The regular unsweetened cocoa will work just fine. The color of the cake won’t be quite as dark and the flavor not quite as rich and chocolatey as with the Dutch process cocoa. But the cake will still be delicious! Enjoy!!