Baileys cupcakes Recipe

Method

• For the sponge:

  1. Before you start this cupcake recipe, pop the Irish cream chocolate bar in the freezer.
  2. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 and line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake cases.
  3. Place butter, chopped chocolate, coffee granules and 40ml of water in a large bowl over a pan of boiling water, stir gently until melted then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  4. Sift the flours, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into large bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre. Add the beaten eggs, oil and buttermilk and the cooled chocolate mixture, stirring with a large whisk until completely combined. Do not beat this mixture, there is no need.
  5. Remove the chocolate bar from the freezer.
  6. Fill cupcake cases to 2/3 full and pop one square of the chocolate in the middle of each cake. Then bake for 30 mins until they are springy to the touch.
  7. Remove and cool in the trays for 10 mins before putting on a wire rack.

  For the chocolate icing:

  1. To a large mixing bowl add the butter, vanilla and milk.
  2. Sift the cocoa and icing sugar into the bowl and mix on a medium speed for avout 5 mins until smooth and shiny.

  For the Baileys buttercream:

  1. Add the butter and the Irish cream into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Sift the icing sugar into the bowl and beat on a medium speed for about 5 mins, until smooth and shiny.

  For the piping:

  1. Snipping just a tiny tip of 2 piping bags (just to let the air out) fill one bag with the chocolate buttercream and one with Irish cream buttercream.
  2. Place a Wilton 2D onto the 3rd piping bag.
  3. Snip a larger tip off the ends of the other 2 piping bags.
  4. Place these 2 piping bags into the 3rd piping bag and squeeze all the air up out of the top of the bag and twist at the top of the icing.
  5. Twist the icing bag and grip between your thumb and index finger. 
  6. Place the other hand at the bottom of the bag and use this to guide the tip.
  7. Applying pressure with your hand at the top of the bag, pipe a star shape in the centre of the cupcake.
  8. Now, pipe round the star keeping an even pressure as you squeeze. Keep piping in a spiral until the star is completely covered. When you reach the end push down slightly and pull up quickly to finish.
  9. Decorate with white sprinkles.