St. Patty's Guinness Cake with Bailey's Buttercream

March 5, 2012

What is St. Patrick's Day without a glass of Guinness and a shot of Bailey's? Not all of us are planning to knock back an Irish Car Bomb but you can bake this decadent Guinness cake with Bailey's buttercream instead. This rich chocolate cake is given an incredible boost of flavor from the stout and pairs perfectly with the sweet and buttery frosting. If you want a more festive look, add a few drops of green food coloring to the buttercream. Guinness cake with Bailey's buttercream is a dessert you'll want to remember.

Guinness Cake with Bailey's Buttercream

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 ounce green food coloring

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup Guinness

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Container of Green Sprinkle Sugar

Whipped Cream Filling Ingredients:

12 ounces Heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup Powdered sugar

3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

Bailey's Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

2 sticks softened butter

4 cups Sifted Powdered sugar

2 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream

2 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions;

The recipe was developed from a Red Velvet recipe...Paula Deen's to be exact. I took components of the Red Velvet and made it less southern and more Irish- and dare I say, more delicious. Who needs Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patrick's Day?!

Green Guinness Cake:

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.

Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture (I always do this in a disposable solo cup- to avoid staining anything); mix well.

Sift together flour and salt.

Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and Guinness.

Blend in vanilla. Add baking soda to mixture.

Pour batter into 2 or 3 (depending on how many layers you want. I went with 2)8-inch round greased and floured pans.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Filling:

Combine ingredients in KitchenAid or use a hand mixer in a large bowl on high.

Blend until firm and peaks develop.

Be careful as you will get a splash of cream if you turn it on too high. (I wrap a dishtowel around the mixer to prevent a splash.)

The middle of the cake, between the 2 layers can be filled with either the Whipped Cream Filling -as listed above- or extra Bailey's Buttercream.)

Bailey's Buttercream Instructions:

Beat butter for a few minutes on medium speed.

Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and set mixer to the lowest speed until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.

Increase mixer speed to medium and slowly add vanilla extract, salt, cream and Bailey's and beat for for 3 minutes.

If you need to make the frosting thinner- add more cream or Bailey's. If you need to thicken it- add more sugar. It should be firm but, fluffy.

This amount of frosting will only frost the outside of the cake. If you want an interior layer of frosting - double the amounts above.

To frost the cake- I cut off the uneven top portions of the cakes so that they are flat and level. You can do this by laying them flat on the counter and using a bread knife so take off the rounded top of the cake. Make sure it is level.

Spread the whipped cream filling on the top of the bottom layer, then place 2nd layer on top- rough side down.

You should have the smooth side of the cake facing up- as you don't want crumbs to break off and muddy up your frosting skills.

Use a large scoop of the frosting- place it in the center of the cake and swirl out to the corner of the cake. Finish off with the sides.

Sprinkle green colored sugar on top of the cake from some sparkle.

The original Buttercream recipe came from The Savory Sweet Life and was altered to create the Bailey's Buttercream.

Http://www.savorysweetlife.com/

For the frosting I wanted a traditional Buttercream texture-wise but need a little more ooomph.

There are 2 parts to the frosting and filling of this cake. To keep it lighter- I used a Bailey's Whipped Cream for the center filling. To top it off I used the Bailey's Buttercream.