White Chocolate Baileys Cupcakes

Sweet and creamy with a slight kick, White Chocolate Baileys Cupcakes bring a new twist to a fun dessert or snack. Bailey’s optional.

Is it just me or do white chocolate and Irish cream seem to belong together?  These White Chocolate Baileys Cupcakes are a perfect example–smooth and creamy with a hint of sophistication. Even my dessert-phobic husband dug in! 

The creamy booziness is great anytime and especially nice for special occasions.  Christmas, bridal shower or St Patrick’s Day anyone?

White Chocolate

I often run hot and cold when it comes to white chocolate.  But every year, when winter is looming, I get the urge to experiment. 

White chocolate bark? Yum!  White chocolate drizzle on… everything?  Count me in! 

Maybe it’s psyching up for the first snowfall—white on white!   

The “Real” Chocolate Controversy

Now there are people out there who will say that white chocolate isn’t real chocolate.  And if you look at the ingredients in some white baking chips, it’s easy to tell why—no cocoa products at all!  So, I looked for the words “white chocolate” when I went shopping. 

Per Wikipedia, “white chocolate is a chocolate confection, pale ivory in color, made from cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids and sometimes vanilla.^”  They say it’s even regulated in many countries to make sure it meets certain standards!

Of course, since we’re in a pandemic everyone gets a little leeway.  In a pinch I’d probably give white baking chips a try, maybe with a little cocoa butter added.

And if you don’t want chocolate at all, here are the cutest ever Vanilla Polar Bear Cupcakes!

White Chocolate Baileys Cupcakes

When my Sunday blogging group decided to do chocolate cupcakes, I went searching for a white chocolate cupcake recipe.  The one I found was very mild so a perfect candidate for a little flavor boost.  And it was an easy adjustment to some use Bailey’s Irish Cream in place of some of the milk.

Next I made a basic buttercream also with a bit of Baileys added.  Yup, completely into layering my flavors!

The frosting recipe makes enough for a nice domed top (like the pictures), which was the perfect amount since the cupcake is slightly less sweet.

But if you’re feeding picky kids or teetotalers, you can skip the Baileys and use milk. 

In that case, I’ll have my Baileys on the side…

White Chocolate Baileys Cupcakes

Sweet and creamy with a slight kick,White Chocolate Baileys Cupcakes bring a new twist to a fun dessert or snack.Bailey’s optional.

Author: Inger

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Additional Time 1 min

Total Time 51 mins

Course Desserts & Snacks

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 509 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Cupcakes:

• 5 ounces white chocolate chopped
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, with one Tablespoon removed
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup Baileys or additional milk
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 2 large eggs

Baileys Buttercream:

• 4 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup butter softened (1 ½ sticks)
• ¼ cup Baileys or milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 F
• Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or "double boiler" (see note below).
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Mix the milk, vanilla and Baileys if using.
• With a hand or stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the molten chocolate.
• Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, and mix until smooth. Fill a muffin tin with paper liners. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop the batter in. The cups should not be more than 3/4 full.
• Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Cupcakes do not need to turn gold to be done. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 to 15 minutes then remove from the tin and cool completely.
• To prepare the frosting, beat the ingredients together until smooth. Fill a piping bag and pipe onto completely cool cupcakes or frost by hand.
• Top each cupcake with a chocolate covered espresso bean if desired.

Notes

To melt chocolate stovetop, lace the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl that can fit partly in a saucepan. The bottom of the bowl should sit a couple inches above the pan bottom. Put about an inch of water in the saucepan, then bring to a low simmer. Set the bowl into the saucepan and stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Don’t let the water boil or get water into the chocolate (this is important). Remove pan from heat when melted.

To melt in microwave, heat in short bursts and stir vigorously in between.

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 4gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 282mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 60gVitamin A: 541IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 1mg

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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