Coffee & Baileys Cake

Name: Coffee & Baileys Layer Cake
Prep time: 120 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 150 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature); 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs (room temperature); 1 tsp vanilla; 3/4 cup buttermilk (room temperature); 4 oz good quality dark chocolate (finely chopped); 4 oz heavy whipping cream; 3 large egg whites; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (cubed, room temperature); 1 Tbsp instant espresso powder (not granules); 2 Tbsp Baileys Irish Cream

By Olivia, 126 Comments

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The perfect pairing of coffee & Baileys in this delicious layer cake. A vanilla buttermilk cake layered with dark chocolate ganache and a coffee Baileys swiss meringue buttercream.

Coffee & Baileys is one of my favourite flavour combinations. While we’re not big drinkers around here, you can bet we always have a bottle of Baileys in the fridge. We don’t drink it on it’s own, but it often gets added to hot chocolate, or coffee, or a variety of baked goods.

It’s been a while since my last Baileys recipe, and I’ve been meaning to do a Coffee & Baileys buttercream for a while. I opted to go with a Swiss meringue buttercream this time, as opposed to a standard American buttercream. The American is easier to make, but I prefer the taste and texture of meringue buttercreams overall. They are much smoother, and not quite as sweet.

I added both espresso powder and Baileys to the buttercream, but you could leave either out if you prefer — you’d be missing out on a pretty delicious combo though!

I wanted to keep the decoration on this Coffee & Baileys Cake clean and simple, so I opted to go with a pretty swirl pattern like I had done before on my Nutella Hazelnut Cake. It’s a really simple way to give a cake a fancy looking finish. The swirls are far from perfect (especially on the top), but I didn’t let that bother me, which is HUGE for me. The old Olivia would have smoothed the whole thing down and started over. The new Olivia clearly has better %^&* to do. It’s supposed to be rustic anyhow!

I pressed in some chocolate flakes along the bottom for some contrast using the same technique I used for my Funfetti Cake. Another simple way to fancy it up a bit.

I also wanted a bit of contrast between the vanilla cake layers and pale coffee Baileys buttercream, so I spread a thin layer of dark chocolate ganache on each layer. I think it adds a nice pop of color, and pairs well with the chocolate flakes on the bottom.

This is one delicious cake! If you’re a coffee and baileys fan, you’ll be eating that frosting by the spoonful. The vanilla cake lets the buttercream flavour stand out, but the buttercream would pair just as well with a chocolate cake if you prefer!

Notes & tips for this Coffee & Baileys Cake:

Be sure to use espresso powder, not espresso granules in the buttercream. The granules will not dissolve. This is the kind that I use and it works perfectly.
If you can’t find espresso powder, then you can use espresso granules, but be sure to dissolve them in 1 Tbsp hot water first. Cool completely before using in frosting.
I get my chocolate flakes at The Gourmet Warehouse here in Vancouver, but these ones seem comparable (though it’s hard to see in the pic).
To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, see my tips here.
If you like this cake, be sure to check out these Baileys Cheesecake Cookie Cups, Baileys Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake, and these Coffee & Baileys macarons!

Cake on a white cake stand with a bottle on Baileys behind it.

Print Rate

4.72 from 14 votes

Coffee & Baileys Layer Cake

The perfect pairing of coffee and Baileys in this delicious layer cake. A vanilla buttermilk cake layered with chocolate ganache and a coffee Baileys swiss meringue buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Prep Time 2 hours

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 584kcal

Author Olivia

Ingredients

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk room temperature

Ganache:

4 oz good quality dark chocolate finely chopped
4 oz heavy whipping cream

Coffee Baileys Buttercream:

3 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
1 Tbsp instant espresso powder not granules
2 Tbsp Baileys Irish Cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds, line with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
Beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3mins).
Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition. Mix until just combined
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake for 30mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Ganache:

Place chopped chocolate and cream into a microwave safe bowl, stir. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir. Again, microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir until smooth. Cool completely until thickened, ideally overnight.

Coffee Baileys Buttercream:

Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins).
Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
Add Baileys and espresso powder. Whip until smooth.**

Assembly:

Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread a layer of ganache and then top with buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
Frost the cake and do a decorative swirl with an offset spatula if desired. Add chocolate flakes to the bottom if desired.

Notes

* Ensure there is NO trace of egg yolks in your whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk is completely grease free or your meringue won't stiffen.
** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.

Calories: 584kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 5gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 152mgPotassium: 245mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 1155IUCalcium: 82mgIron: 2.1mg

The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.

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