I can now top my cakes with my favourite drink with this delicious, smooth Baileys buttercream!
It’s been at least a week since I last shared a buttercream recipe with you, so I thought it was about time I posted another one. This one is flavoured with one of my favourite things – Baileys Irish Cream 🙂
I’ve piped this buttercream onto some delicious Bailey’s cupcakes (recipe coming very soon) but it would also go brilliantly with other flavours such as vanilla, chocolate or coffee. As you know, I like to post my cupcakes and icing separately so you can mix-and-match the flavours to your heart’s content.
- Make sure your butter is really soft before you start. It’s so easy to forget to take the butter out of the fridge far enough in advance (I take mine out a couple of hours before I want to make this) and it’s tempting to beat it to soften it. However, unless it’s really soft it can be tricky to mix in the liquid and you’ll end up with lumpy buttercream.
- Add your Baileys very gradually (I add 1 tsp at a time) and beat in each addition thoroughly before adding more.
- Beat your buttercream on the lowest possible speed (or by hand) to avoid adding too many air bubbles.
- If all the liquid and soft butter means your buttercream seems a little too soft for piping, pop it into the fridge for a few minutes to firm up (although not too long or it’ll be too stiff to pipe, check it every few minutes).
What You’ll Need
Before you start, make sure you have all of the equipment needed.
NOTE – These are affiliate links which means that if you purchase from Amazon after clicking on one the product links below I may earn a small commission. All of the products linked are ones I use in my kitchen.
Weighing Scales
- Measuring Spoons
- Knife – to cut the butter
- Electric Mixer (or a bowl and hand mixer or wooden spoon)
- Sieve
- Piping Bags – if you’re planning on piping the cupcakes
- Piping Nozzle – To pipe the cupcakes as shown in the pictures you’ll need a JEM 1B nozzle.
Baileys Buttercream
Ingredients
- 250 g unsalted butter soft at room temperature
- 500 g icing sugar
- 2½ tbsp Baileys Irish Cream you can use any of their other flavours too
Instructions
- Cut the butter (250g) into cubes and then beat on a low speed until soft. Gradually add the icing sugar (500g - you add it gradually to stop it flying everywhere) and beat until fully combined.
- Add the Baileys (2½ tbsp) a teaspoon at a time, beating in each addition before adding more.
- Check the consistency of your buttercream. It should be soft and perfect for piping at this point. If it's a little too soft, pop it into the fridge to harden, checking it every few minutes.
- Decorate your cakes.
Notes
Makes enough for 12 cupcakes or for covering and filling a 20cm 2-layer round cake. Take a look at my mix-and-match cupcake creator to choose which cupcake sponge you want to pipe this onto and take a look at all my other buttercream flavours while you're there too. Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and rating at the bottom of the page to let others know what you thought.Nutritional Information
Free From/Suitable For…
The ingredients I used to make this recipe are all free from the following allergens. However, please check any labels carefully for allergens you need to avoid as brands can vary and product recipes can change over time.
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Gluten-Free
- Egg-Free
- Tree Nut-Free
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Soya-Free
- Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphite-Free
- Lupin-Free
First time trying to make cupcakes ever! They came out really well and I will definitely be using your recipes if I ever need to make cup cakes. The only thing I found was the cup cakes needed about 25 mins to cool in my oven.
Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed them. Annoying all ovens cook slightly differently so you may find some cooking times vary a little from the original recipe.
Wow made the Baileys cup cakes with Baileys buttercream went down a storm
So just starting baking…new kitchen & shiny new Neff oven replacing a gas one of 27 years.. Googled coffee cupcake recipe & chose yours. They turned out okay but went down a storm with my family…. have done lemon drizzle cupcakes, mocha ones & a Victoria sponge since. Coffee cupcakes voted the best so cooked another 12 tonight….will be topping with Baileys butter icing ..nom nom. ❤️ Thanks for your help xx
Thanks Ally, I’m glad you enjoyed them. I’ve not tried the coffee cupcakes with the Baileys buttercream before but now I want to!
Oh my…This is a dangerous combination which tastes incredible. I put it on chocolate cupcakes when I had friends over last night and they all went within seconds. I’m going to be making it again tonight but just for me!!
Sounds like a great plan! Enjoy 🙂
Boomarked!
Using this recipe in between layers of dark chocolate cake and your coffee buttercream for the top layer decorations. Would you recommend cutting down the sugar in the baileys recipe as so much more will be used?
That’s really down to your personal taste. I haven’t tried it with less sugar but you should be fine to cut it down as far as equal amounts of butter and sugar. You’ll probably need to reduce the amount of Baileys too.
Do think I could make this frosting the night before, and ice the cupcakes in the morning for a brunch party?
Thanks, these look delicious!
I always like to make my buttercream just before I use it as it can become firm on the outside and won’t pipe as nicely.
Made this tonight…so good!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, what did you use it on?
Now you have my attention! xx
🙂
Definitely giving this a go!