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These Bailey’s and Chocolate Cupcakes with Whiskey Frosting are a delicious and boozy way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, and instead of mixing up a cocktail, I thought that I would bake a sweet treat with a kick of whiskey. Bailey’s and Chocolate Cupcakes with Whiskey Frosting are made with chocolate cupcake mix, to which I had added Bailey’s Irish Cream, and they are topped with whiskey buttercream frosting and a drizzle of caramel.

When I moved to Chicago I didn’t realize that St. Patrick’s Day is such a big deal. They die our river green. And they do it at 9am which kicks off a giant day long party. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced. It become so rowdy that the Wrigleyville police blotter has a tendency to go viral as the police try to keep up with the shenanigans. This year St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday, so Chicago might be even more wild than usual.

When I make cakes or cupcakes I like to use a store-bought mix to start, and then I add homemade frosting. It reduces the amount of preparation time, and the size of the mess that I make in the kitchen. Once the cupcakes are in the oven I mix up the buttercream frosting. Just be sure to let the cupcakes cool before you frost them, otherwise the frosting might melt.

After I frosted the cupcakes I added a drizzle of caramel. It added a little something extra to the cupcakes, while also acting as a garnish. You could also add some Heath Bar crumbles on top if you like.

You can adjust the amount of whiskey in the frosting. I wanted the frosting to have a bold burst of whiskey flavor, it might be too intense for some people, but I think that the chocolate cupcake balances the whiskey flavor perfectly.

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Bailey’s and Chocolate Cupcakes with Whiskey Frosting

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, and instead of mixing up a cocktail, I thought that I would bake a sweet treat with a kick of whiskey. Bailey’s and Chocolate Cupcakes with Whiskey Frosting are made with chocolate cupcake mix, to which I had added Bailey’s Irish Cream, and they are topped with whiskey buttercream frosting and a drizzle of caramel.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 22 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
• 3 Eggs as called for on the box of mix
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil as called for on the box of mix
• 1 cup Bailey's to replace the water the box of mix called for

For the Frosting:

• 1/4 cup Butter at room temperature
• 3-4 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
• 5 cups Powdered Sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons Whiskey I used Maker's Mark
• 1 jar of Caramel Sauce

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake pan with cupcake papers.
2. Combine all the cupcake ingredients in a mixing bowl, and stir until the batter is smooth. If you buy a chocolate cake mix that calls for different amounts of egg, or oil, or additional ingredients, follow those directions and replace the water with Bailey's.
3. Fill the cupcake tin until 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean.
4. While the cupcakes bake, prepare the frosting. Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. This whips the butter, gets it creamy, and makes the frosting lighter and fluffier. Then add the other ingredients and beat until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Let the cupcakes cool before you frost them. I like to use a pastry bag and a piping bag so that they look a bit prettier, but you can opt to spread the frosting on with a knife.
6. Drizzle with caramel and serve.

Recipe Notes

After I frosted the cupcakes I added a drizzle of caramel. It added a little something extra to the cupcakes, while also acting as a garnish. You could also add some Heath Bar crumbles on top if you like. You can adjust the amount of whiskey in the frosting. I wanted the frosting to have a bold burst of whiskey flavor, it might be too intense for some people, but I think that the chocolate cupcake balances the whiskey flavor perfectly.

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