Irish Coffee Cake (with Bailey’s)

thick slice of irish cream cake layered with mascarpone baileys filling.

A luxurious Irish coffee cake with Bailey’s and mascarpone frosting that looks impressive, yet it’s much easier and quicker to make than you might think.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 50

Servings slices

Calories 514kcal

Author Adina

Equipment

2 springforms or cake tins 8 inch/ 20 cm diameter
Parchment paper
Electric mixer
Jug

Ingredients

Irish coffee cake:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 210 g Notes 1, 2
1 ½ cups granulated sugar 300 g
¾ cup cornstarch 85 g, Note 3
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 eggs large, room temperature
½ cup buttermilk 125 ml, room temperature
½ cup Bailey’s 125 ml
½ neutral-tasting oil like canola, 125 ml
1 cup strong coffee 250 ml, Note 4

Mascarpone frosting (Note 5):

8 oz mascarpone 225 g
1 cup heavy cream 250 ml
¾ cup powdered sugar 75 g
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Bailey’s
chocolate streusel or shavings for garnishing the cake

Instructions

Irish coffee cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease and line the springforms with parchment paper.
Brew the coffee and set it aside while you make the cake batter.
1 cup boiling water from the kettle + 1 tablespoon instant coffee (or one cup strong filter coffee)
Dry ingredients: Mix flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift them into a large bowl.
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour / 210 g + 1 ½ cups granulated sugar / 300 g + ¾ cup cornstarch ( 85 g + 2 teaspoon baking soda + 1 teaspoon baking powder + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet ingredients: Lightly beat the eggs, preferably in a jug bowl, so that you can easily pour the mixture later. Add buttermilk, Bailey’s, and oil and whisk lightly (with a fork) to combine. Slowly pour the mixture over the dry ingredients, whisking with an electric mixer at a very low speed.
2 eggs + ½ cup buttermilk / 125 ml + ½ cup Bailey’s / 125 ml + ½ neutral-tasting oil / 125 ml
Combine: Add the hot coffee and stir with a spatula very shortly until the ingredients are just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl as well. Divide the mixture into two equal parts and pour it into the two prepared tins.
1 cup strong coffee / 250 ml
Bake for about 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out relatively clean, it can still be a bit wet, but it should not be covered in batter. Let cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then transfer the cakes to wire racks and let them cool completely.

Mascarpone frosting:

Remove the mascarpone from the refrigerator 15 minutes before making the frosting.
8 oz mascarpone 225 g
Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder until soft peaks form. Add mascarpone and Bailey’s and whip until stiff peaks form.
1 cup heavy cream / 250 ml + ¾ cup powdered sugar/ 75 g + 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder + 2 tablespoons Bailey’s

Assemble the cake:

Trim cakes: If the domes of the cakes are too high, trim them with a serrated knife. However, the domes on my cakes were minimal, so I didn’t bother cutting them.
Fill cake: Place one cake on a cake platter. Cover it with ½ of the mascarpone frosting. Place the second cake on top and cover it nicely with the remaining frosting.
Decorate cake: Sprinkle the cake with chocolate shavings or chocolate streusel if desired.
chocolate streusel or shavings
Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Measurements: The recipe was tested using both cup measurement and the metric system. However, I always recommend using a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees for best result (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
Room temperature: The ingredients (eggs, buttermilk, Bailey’s, and oil) should be at room temperature.
Chocolate cake: Replace the cornstarch with the same amount of natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
Coffee: I brewed the coffee with 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and 1 cup of hot water boiled in a kettle. You can also use filter coffee; ensure it’s strong.
The mascarpone should be slightly softer but still cold. Remove it from the fridge 15 minutes before you need it, but don’t leave it on the counter for longer, or it will become too soft. The frosting will also be too soft if the cheese is too soft.

Nutrition