White Russian Cupcakes inspired by the classic cocktail – Baileys whipped cream sponge, topped with a White Russian buttercream and a hidden dark chocolate and vodka ganache centre.
I love creamy cocktails and the White Russian is one of my absolute favourites (really anything with Baileys is a winner in my eyes), so when I was contacted by thebar.com a few weeks ago and invited to create a recipe based on one of their cocktails, it was the obvious choice.
If you’re unfamiliar with the White Russian, it’s made from a mix of Baileys Coffee, Vodka and Cream, topped with a sprinkling of chocolate (you can find the full recipe here). If you’ve not tried one before, then you really should!
In making these cakes I’ve tried to stay as true to the original cocktail as possible. This means there’s a fair amount of alcohol in them so all the normal alcohol rules apply, don’t eat one if you’re driving!
The cake recipe is a little unusual, in that instead of using butter it uses whipped cream (to which I’ve added some Baileys 🙂 ), they’re then topped with a White Russian buttercream (buttercream flavoured with baileys and vodka). As much as I love creamy cocktails, I also love hidden centres in cupcakes (I struggle to make one without it) so given that White Russians are usually topped with a little grated chocolate, I didn’t think I was straying too far away by adding a dark chocolate and vodka ganache centre.
White Russian Cupcakes
WARNING – this recipe contains alcohol
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Makes 8 cupcakes
Equipment
- 8 cupcake cases
- Muffin tin
- Weighing scales
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring jug
- Electric mixer + bowl
- Hand whisk (for the egg) + bowl
- Sieve
- Large spoon or spatula (for folding)
- Wire cooling rack
- Small saucepan + bowl
- Piping bag with star nozzle attached
- Teaspoon
Ingredients
For the cakes
- 1 medium egg
- 120ml double cream
- 50ml Baileys Coffee (or Baileys Original)
- 100g caster sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 120g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
For the White Russian buttercream
- 135g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 270g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp Baileys Coffee (or Baileys Original)
- ½ tbsp Smirnoff no. 21 Vodka
For the Vodka Ganache
- 50g dark chocolate
- 50ml double cream
- 2 tsp Smirnoff no. 21 Vodka
Method
Make the cakes
- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan
- Line a muffin tin with 8 cupcake cases
- Using an electric mixer, whisk the double cream (120ml) to stiff peaks. Once stiff, add the vanilla extract (½ tsp) and gradually add the Baileys (50ml) thoroughly mixing each addition before adding more.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg (1 medium egg) until just frothy.
- Add the egg to the whipped cream and whisk for a couple of minutes.
- Gradually add the caster sugar (100g), whisk in each addition before adding more. Once all of the sugar is added whisk on a high speed for a couple of minutes.
- Sift the remaining dry ingredients (120g plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt) into the cream mixture and carefully fold them together until thoroughly combined.
- Spoon the cake batter into the cupcakes cases, ensuring it’s evenly distributed.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Once baked, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream and ganache.
Make the buttercream
- Cut the butter (135g) into cubes and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the icing sugar (270g) and beat in each addition before adding more.
- Once combined add the Baileys (2 tbsp) and vodka (½ tbsp) and beat thoroughly to combine.
Make the ganache
- Place the dark chocolate (50g) in a small saucepan and heat very gently until melted.
- Remove from the heat immediately and pour the chocolate into a bowl. Add the double cream (50ml) and mix vigourously until combined.
- Add the vodka (2 tsp) and mix thoroughly until combined.
Construct the cupcakes
- Use a teaspoon to scoop out the centre of each cupcake.
- Fill the centre with a spoon of ganache.
- Pipe the buttercream onto the top.
- Serve.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 541 kcal (27%), Fat: 28.4g (41%), Saturated Fat: 17.5g (88%), Carbohydrates: 63.6g (24%), Sugar: 52.3g (58%), Fibre: 1.0g (4%), Protein: 3.3g (7%), Salt: 0.3g (4%)
Suitable for Vegetarians.
This is the estimated nutritional information per cupcake. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you want to learn more about how this is calculated.
Other White Russian inspired recipes
If these cupcakes have whet your appetite for some white russian inspired baking then you might also want to take a look at these other recipes…
- White Russian Eclairs by Patisserie Makes Perfect
- White Russian Pannacotta by Baking Obsession
- White Russian Cheesecake by Betty Crocker
- White Russian Ice-cream by Rachel Ray
- White Russian Jelly Shots by The Daily Meal
- White Russian Macarons by OMG, Sammiches
And if you fancy a change from the White Russian, thebar.com have a great selection of other edible cocktails here.
* This is a commissioned post for Diageo’s thebar.com
Oooooo… These sound amazing and I will definitely be trying them out real soon.
But I have to say, a White Russian cocktail does not contain Bailey’s at all. A true White Russian is equal parts vodka, kahlua, and cream.
Cheers!
Thanks Mimi, I hope you enjoy them when you give them a try. I suspect it’s one of those recipes that people have tweaked and adapted over time, I’ve never tried one with Kahlua so I’ll have to give it a try sometime.
I’ve made these cupcakes three times now, they are definitely a family favourite. The sponge is super light and totally delicious.
Thanks Ann, I’m so glad you all enjoyed them. The whipped cream definitely makes the sponge lighter than sponge made using butter.
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Oh my!!! These sound soooo good!!! I love Baileys and I bet these cakes are such a special treat! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Thanks Kirsty. If you like Baileys the you’ll like these 🙂
Oh my gosh these look amazing, the flavours are perfect! I’ve never baked with cream instead of butter, I bet it tastes so indulgent. Thanks so much for linking up to #SundaySweets hope you’ve got something to add today too x
Thanks Toni. You should try cream sometime, it makes the sponge quite light.
These are just stunning! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Thanks Vicki xx
This might just be the ultimate treat for Andy – his fave cocktail in a cupcake…might have to break all the food rules and give these a go over Xmas (although using my home made coffee liqueur instead of Baileys)! Pinned xx
Thanks Renee. I like the sound of homemade coffee liqueur, is the recipe on your site?
Hey lovely, it’s on my other blog https://mummytriesgaps.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/choc-coffee-flavoured-liqueur/
I have all those ingredients 🙂
I was about to make something for the boys but I think I’ll make this instead
Ooh you saucy blogger! This is one of the most decadent posts I’ve read in a while. I felt naughty just looking at the pictures 😉 Will have to give these a try but definitely not one to make with the kiddies. Love Baileys!
Not as naughty as I felt eating them all 🙂 (worth it though, they were yummy!)
Oh these look fantastic!
Thanks Louise xx
These look lovely. Love the little box
Thanks Alison. The box was a car boot sale bargain a couple of weeks ago, I was so pleased when I spotted it.
These look yummy but slightly dangerous…I’m guessing that’s why the recipe only makes 8!
Given I couldn’t share them with the children I thought it would have been greedy to make a bigger batch! You can easily double everything if you want more though 🙂
These sound delicious Charlotte. I’m not much of a drinker at all, but I think the wee bit of alcohol in these would give just a nice note against the chocolate. And I love the little stand you’ve perched your cupcake on.
Angela x
Thanks Angela. I spotted the little silver box at a car boot sale at the weekend. It was an absolute bargain and I love it!
I do love an edible cocktail! I’ve come across recipes for whipped cream sponge before but have never tried it, yours look beautifully light and fluffy so I’m going to have to give it a go, especially if you can add Baileys! x
You should definitely give the whipped cream sponge a go sometime. It’s lovely and light and less greasy than sponge made with butter. It goes nicely with the Baileys too 🙂
These look awesome! But very, very naughty!!
Oh yes, very naughty but totally worth it!
These look great Charlotte! Thank you for including my recipe, I love white russians too! It’s one of my favourite cocktails along with brandy alexanders and grasshoppers!
I’ve not tried either of them (just had to google them to check what was in them!) they sound like just my sort of thing.