While inspired by the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday, these Mini Baileys Chocolate Cupcakes are good year round. The lighter chocolate cake base is perfectly complemented by the boozy Bailey’s Irish Cream buttercream. Every bite is bliss. And, since they’re mini, you can enjoy a bunch without derailing your healthy lifestyle.
Making Mini Baileys Chocolate Cupcakes
First, you need to make your cake. The cake base is my lighter chocolate cake, which you can find in a few of my most popular recipes:
It uses a bunch of pantry staple ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, oil, eggs, some coffee, and greek yogurt. The coffee is key in this recipe, as it gives a depth of flavor thats almost dark-chocolate like. The end result is fluffy, soft, and delicious. I make this recipe in my mini muffin pan, so I have perfect two-bite cupcakes that are lower in points.
Next, you’ll make the Baileys Irish Cream frosting. Its a simple buttercream made with Smart Balance instead of butter. Smart Balance is an oil-based spread thats lower in points that butter. It has the same texture as softened butter though, so its easy to work into a frosting.
Start by putting your Smart Balance in the bowl of a stand mixer or bowl to use with a hand mixer. You should be fine to use it right from the fridge, since it softens much quicker than butter. Beat it on medium speed for 60 seconds, until soft. Then, add your powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Lastly, add your Baileys to thin it out to the desired consistency. As with any frosting, if it’s too liquidy, add powdered sugar. If too dry, add liquid.
Then, just frost your cupcakes (I did about a teaspoon per cupcake) and top with desired toppings. With the upcoming holiday, I used from fun St Patricks themed sprinkles. You could also top with regular sprinkles, chocolate chips, caramel drizzle, etc. Then, just store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Mini Baileys Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Stand Mixer
- Mini Muffin Pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup All purpose flour
- 1/3 cup Cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 tbsp Canola oil
- 1 Egg
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt nonfat
- pinch Salt
- 1/2 cup Brewed coffee cooled
- 2 tbsp Smart Balance
- 1 1/2 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp Baileys
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and whisk together.
- In a smaller bowl, combine oil, egg, greek yogurt, and stir to combine. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Add cooled brewed coffee last, and stir to combine.
- Prepare mini muffin pan with cooking spray or mini cupcake wrappers, and fill each cup 2/3 of the way.
- Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- In a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat Smart Balance for 60 seconds until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Add Baileys, and mix on medium speed until you have a uniform, fluffy frosting. If too dry, add more Baileys 1/4 tsp at a time. If too liquid, add powdered sugar 1 tbsp at a time.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Frost each cupcake with roughly 1 tsp of frosting and enjoy! Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
