Irish Cream Cupcakes

Irish Cream Cupcakes

by | Mar 13, 2019 | DESSERTS, CAKES AND SQUARES | 0 comments

I just couldn’t resist making these creamy and chocolatey Irish Cream Cupcakes to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year.  They’re a fun and tasty way to celebrate Irish heritage and religion by lacing both the cupcakes and the frosting with Irish Cream.  These cupcakes are deliciously moist and not too sweet with a white chocolate ganache frosting. Good any day of the year in my opinion.

So what’s the Irish in Irish Cream anyway?

Simply put, Irish Cream is a creamy liqueur made with Irish Whiskey, which can only be named as such if distilled on the island of Ireland, among other regulations.

What are we celebrating on St. Patrick’s Day?

St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious celebration recognizing the patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick who died on March 17th, 461. He is best known for bringing Christianity to Ireland.

Why do we wear green?

Ireland is also known as The Emerald Isle, referencing green.

St. Patrick used the green shamrock as a tool to teach people about the holy trinity.

Green is one of the primary colours of the Irish flag.

Wearing green makes you invisible to Leprechauns, who are said to pinch anyone not wearing green, and that’s reason enough for me LOL!

Author: Compelled to Cook

A single Irish Cream Cupcakes sits in focus in the foreground. It sits on a black cooling rack draped with a green and white checkered towel. The background is blurry.
Irish Cream Cupcakes
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    24 cupcakes 60 minutes
    Cook Time Passive Time
    16-18 minutes 4+ hours
    Servings Prep Time
    24 cupcakes 60 minutes
    Cook Time Passive Time
    16-18 minutes 4+ hours
    A single Irish Cream Cupcakes sits in focus in the foreground. It sits on a black cooling rack draped with a green and white checkered towel. The background is blurry.
    Irish Cream Cupcakes
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      24 cupcakes 60 minutes
      Cook Time Passive Time
      16-18 minutes 4+ hours
      Servings Prep Time
      24 cupcakes 60 minutes
      Cook Time Passive Time
      16-18 minutes 4+ hours
      Ingredients
      White Chocolate Ganache
      Chocolate Cupcakes
      Servings: cupcakes
      Instructions
      White Chocolate Ganache
      1. Heat cream and Irish cream in a small pot until just at a simmer.
      2. Add chopped white chocolate and butter to a medium size bowl. Pour hot cream over white chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until cold, about 4 hours or up to 24 hours in advance.
      3. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whip, whisk ganache until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Use immediately or chill until ready to use.
      Chocolate Cupcakes
      1. Preheat oven to 350℉ and line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.
      2. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment combine all ingredients EXCEPT the water and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine.
      3. Pour or scoop 1/4 cup of batter into prepared tins. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
      4. Frost with white chocolate ganache frosting.

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      Lavender White Chocolate Meringues

      Lavender White Chocolate Meringues

      by | Mar 31, 2018 | DESSERTS, CAKES AND SQUARES | 0 comments

      Crunchy, yet melt in your mouth, Lavender White Chocolate Meringues are a sweet treat to be shared. Conveniently just the right size to pop in your mouth like no one will notice, but with a hint of lavender and creamy white chocolate, you won’t be the only one standing near the cookie plate. These pretty meringues with their gorgeous violet colour and hint of lavender tease us with the thought of spring and Easter and they’re fun for everyone.

      Meringue is so versatile, can take on many flavours and most any colour. Once whipped up to a stiff peak they hold up well and are easily piped into desired shapes. Quick and easy to whip up, it’s the baking and decorating that take the time in this recipe. But one can still do many things while they’re baking so time essentially is not lost here.

      The goal for meringue is to have a smooth outer shell with no browning and dry interior with a nice crunch. To achieve this, a low and slow baking period is required. I suggest an oven no hotter than 200℉ or the meringue has the tendency to crack. Some recipes will have you place in a hot oven, turn the oven off and allow to sit overnight. I find this is not necessary but they do need enough time to bake to achieve a crunchy lightness. It’s perfectly alright to open the oven and give one a taste to see how they’re coming along when you’re not sure. They won’t fall or flatten just because you opened the door. If need be, bake a little longer till they’re light and hollow sounding, then have fun decorating as desired.

      Lavender White Chocolate Meringues inspired by: Bethcakes Lavender Meringues

      Lavender White Chocolate Meringues
      Print Recipe
        Servings Prep Time
        6-7 dozen 60 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        3 hours 24 hours
        Servings Prep Time
        6-7 dozen 60 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        3 hours 24 hours
        Lavender White Chocolate Meringues
        Print Recipe
          Servings Prep Time
          6-7 dozen 60 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          3 hours 24 hours
          Servings Prep Time
          6-7 dozen 60 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          3 hours 24 hours
          Ingredients
          Servings: dozen
          Instructions
          1. Combine sugar and lavender in a small bowl. Rub lavender buds and sugar together with your fingers to help infuse the lavender flavour into the sugar. Cover tightly and allow to sit at room temperature, preferably overnight. Sift sugar to remove lavender before using.
          2. Preheat oven to 200℉. Arrange 2 oven racks with one in the middle and the second above it. Whip egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy and starting to thicken. Gradually add sugar with mixer running. Once all sugar has been added, continue to beat until stiff peak stage and meringue is glossy, about 8-10 minutes. Add desired food colouring and flavouring and whip just to combine.
          3. Line 2 large baking trays with parchment. Fill a large piping bag fitted with a 446P (10 cm round) tip with meringue and pipe into 1"-1 1/2" kisses, spacing 1" apart on baking tray. To pipe kisses, hold tip vertically 1/2"- 3/4" above tray and squeeze until filling has created a 1"-1 1/2" circle. Stop squeezing and lift up, creating the tail.
          4. Once all meringue has been piped, place trays in oven and bake for 2 1/2-3 hours, checking meringue for doneness at the 2 1/2 hour mark. Once meringues are dry and light with a hollow sound and feeling, turn off oven and allow meringues to remain in oven until completely cooled.
          5. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave on 30 second intervals until smooth. Dip or decorate meringues in chocolate then decorate with sprinkles if desired.
          Recipe Notes

          Alternatively, you can use lavender flavouring instead of the infused sugar which will eliminate that step.

          Meringues can be piped into any desired shape using other tips if desired.

          I found it difficult to dip the bottom of the meringues into the chocolate without breaking off their tips. I therefore spread an arc of white chocolate onto the side of the meringue and dipped in sprinkles.