The perfect pairing of coffee and Baileys in this delicious cake. A vanilla Baileys cake layered with chocolate ganache and a coffee Baileys swiss meringue buttercream.
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. Combine milk and Bailleys, 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 milk mixture, 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.
Coffee Simple Syrup:
Bring sugar, water, and espresso powder to a boil in a small pot over med-high heat. Simmer for 1min. Set aside to cool completely.
Baileys Ganache:
Place chopped chocolate, Baileys, 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 pot with 1-2" of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (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 espresso and Baileys. Whip until smooth.**
Assembly:
Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Brush generously with 2-3 Tbsp of coffee syrup. 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 are 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.