WHITE CHOCOLATE BAILEYS CAKE #littlesugarsnaps

Name: White Chocolate Baileys Cake
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 180 g Butter/ baking margarine (room temperature); 180 g Golden caster sugar; 180 g Plain flour (all purpose); 1½ tsp Baking powder; 3 Eggs (large, free range); 3 tbsp Milk (room temperature); 1½ tsp Vanilla extract; 150 g White chocolate; 60 g Milk chocolate; 20 g Dark chocolate; 30 ml Baileys Irish Cream; 30 ml Double cream ((heavy cream)); 200 g Mascarpone; 160 g White chocolate; 100 ml Double cream; 75 ml Baileys Irish Cream

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This white chocolate Baileys cake is an absolute showstopper. The soft and silky mascarpone frosting is the perfect complement to the white chocolate layers and hidden ganache. This cake is simple to decorate and suitable for any celebration.

A naked White chocolate Baileys cake decorated with mascarpone frosting, chocolates and rosemary

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Contents hide

1 Why this Chocolate Baileys Cake is Special

2 Ingredients

3 Step by Step Instructions

4 Expert Tips and FAQs

5 Recipe

6 White Chocolate Baileys Cake

If you’re after a show-stopping celebration cake that needs no intricate decorating skills, this white chocolate Baileys cake is it.

Three layers of white chocolate sponge cake are sandwiched together with chocolate Baileys ganache and then wrapped, naked style, in a sublimely soft and silky white chocolate & Baileys mascarpone frosting.

The result is a feast. As much for the eyes as it is for the belly. It’s the ideal cake to serve if you fancy chocolate without going all out on a richer traditional chocolate cake. Try serving it along with a Baileys espresso martini or a Baileys hot chocolate.

Why this Chocolate Baileys Cake is Special

Just look at it! This chocolate Baileys cake has a sophisticated charm about it and it requires no fancy decorating skills. This is a big bonus for me, as I’m challenged when it comes to piping neatly.

A festive white chocolate cake with a slice cut out of it

But aside from the looks, the taste of this chocolate baileys cake is out of this world. The sponge cake has a wonderful white chocolate meets caramel nature about it. And it is sandwiched together with delicately boozy chocolate ganache.

The frosting has been spiked with Baileys too. So all together, this is quite some cake. It is entirely suitable for festive occasions, birthday or any other celebration you care to mention. Or just because you feel like baking it.

Pick your decorations to match the occasion and take yourself swiftly to cake heaven.

If you are in need of a quicker and simpler Baileys bake, try my Irish coffee cake with Baileys cream topping. It’s ready in no time and needs no fancy decorating skills.

Ingredients

This chocolate baileys cake requires white, milk and dark chocolate. White chocolate is used in the cake and frosting, whilst milk chocolate mixed with a small amount of dark chocolate form a chocolate Baileys ganache that is full of flavour without being overpoweringly rich.

Make sure you use decent chocolate. The cheaper varieties have a tendency to seize during the melting process, making the baking of the cake harder. I always use Callebaut these days as I get consistent results from it.

I’ve used mascarpone cheese in the frosting to give a luxurious, not too sweet result that is rich in white chocolate flavour and Baileys. Do not substitute cream cheese in place of mascarpone, as it has a much stronger taste and a firmer texture.

Step by Step Instructions

As with most layer cakes, this chocolate Baileys cake involves several stages:

Bake the sponge cakes
Make the ganache & frosting
Assemble and decorate

Each stage can be tackled independently of the next, so there’s no rushing to complete one part to coincide with the next. Hands on time will be 45-60 minutes, depending how quickly you work.

Make the White Chocolate Cake

Step 1: In a bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, using electric beaters. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition

Step 2: Add milk & the vanilla extract and beat again. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix well

Step 3: Melt the white chocolate and let cool for 3 minutes. Next, take a tablespoon of the cake batter and stir it quickly into the melted white chocolate.

Step 4: Gently fold this white chocolate mixture back into the bowl containing the rest of the cake batter. This double-action will stop the chocolate from seizing when it is mixed in. Divide between 3 cake tins and bake.

Image collage - step by step cake making

Make the White Chocolate Frosting & Chocolate Ganache

In this Baileys cake a white chocolate ganache is incorporated into the frosting and chocolate ganache is sandwiched inside of the cake. Begin by making the ganache:

Step 1: Put the white chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream and Baileys until scalding (but not boiling) and pour over the chocolate.

Step 2: Let sit for 1 minute to melt the chocolate, then stir until smooth and set aside to cool and firm up

Step 3: Repeat step 1 & 2 for the chocolate ganache

Step by Step image collage: making white and dark ganache

Step 4: when the white chocolate ganache is cold and thickened beat in the mascarpone cheese (take care to beat until just smooth as mascarpone can easily split). If necessary chill for 20 minutes to firm up (though this frosting stays nicely spreadable for quite some time)

Collge of images: making white chocolate Baileys mascarpone frosting

Assemble the Layers

When the cakes are cool and the ganache and frosting have firmed up, this chocolate Baileys cake can be assembled:

Step 1: Place a layer of cake onto a worksurface and spoon half of the chocolate ganache into the centre, then spread it out, leaving a 1cm border around the cake

Step 2: Pipe a circle of white chocolate frosting around the edge of the ganache

Decorating a cake with ganache of mascarpone frosting

Step 3: Spread 1 rounded tablespoon of frosting onto the next layer of cake and place it on top of the first layer, so the frosting sits on top of the chocolate ganache

Step 4: Repeat step 1-3 on the next layer of cake. When complete, all three layers of sponge should be stacked up

Step 5: Use the remaining frosting to cover the cake (naked style) and add a generous amount of frosting to the top. It does not need to be smooth. Decorate as desired – chocolates and gold-dusted chocolate leaves look superb.

The chocolates featured on my cake came from M&S and I made the leaves myself.

Overhead view of a festive cake decorated with mascarpone frosting, chocolates and rosemary

Expert Tips and FAQs

Tips for Success

There are a couple of watch-points to keep in mind for this recipe.

First of all, I know that sometimes white chocolate can be a troublesome beast. When melted and stirred into cake batter it can have a tendency to seize up. This is most likely the result of a major contrast in the heat of the melted chocolate and the cake batter.

To avoid running into problems, follow the next three steps:

Use ingredients at room temperature for the cake batter – so pull you butter, milk and eggs out of the fridge well in advance to allow them to acclimatise
When melting the chocolate, stop heating when a few lumps still remain. Just keep stirring until those lumps disappear. This will reduce the risk of the chocolate being too hot. Once melted, I usually let my chocolate sit for 3-5 minutes before combining with the cake batter
And finally, when ready to mix, remember to stir 1 tablespoon of cake batter briskly into the melted chocolate. Again, this helps to reduce the differences in temperature between the 2 elements. Then just add the white chocolate mix into the cake batter and fold through (or beat very briefly with an electric whisk if it still looks as though it could seize).

If any of these points need clarification, please reach out to me or take a peak at my triple chocolate cake which also details how to use melted chocolate in cake making.

Secondly – Mascarpone can easily split, so when beating it into the ganache to make the frosting, do the bare minimum until just combined. Aim for 30-45 seconds (stop midway and scrape-down the bowl if necessary).

If your frosting splits, it is nigh on impossible to return it to tip-top condition and you will have to start again. So take this as your warning: don’t go beating it endlessly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a dark chocolate ganache?

When testing this recipe first time around I did use a dark chocolate ganache inside of the cake. In all honesty, it dominated the rest of the flavours. It was just too rich for the rest of the Baileys cake. For this reason, I do not recommend using a dark chocolate ganache

I’ve added just a small hint of dark chocolate alongside the milk chocolate in the ganache recipe. This is to ensure that the overall ganache is not too sweet. It’s perfect.

Can I use buttercream instead of the mascarpone frosting?

Of course. The result will be slightly sweeter though. Try this recipe for Baileys buttercream.

How long does it stay fresh?

It will keep fresh for up to 3 days.

How do I store this cake?

This cake is fine to sit at room temperature if intending to consume it on the day it is made.

Since mascarpone is dairy, the safest way to store leftovers for another day is in the fridge. Do ensure you bring it out a good few hours before serving to let the entire cake return to room temperature.

Also keep in mind your decorations and avoid using anything that might deteriorate if chilled.

Though the sponge cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months (un-iced) I do not recommend freezing this cake once frosted.

Can I use larger cake pans?

The recipe presented uses 3 x 6 inch cake pans. These are smaller than average. If you prefer to make this cake in 8.5 inch tins, simply double the recipe, fill each tin ⅔ full and use any remaining batter to make a few cupcakes.

You won’t necessarily need to double the frosting (1.5 times should suffice) but doubling the chocolate ganache would be wise.

A slice of chocolate Baileys cake in front of the cake it was cut from

More Boozy Desserts to Try Out:

Have you made this white chocolate Baileys Cake? Did you enjoy it? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below. And I’d love to see how you decorated yours – post a picture on instagram and tag me #jane_littlesugarsnaps.

Recipe

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White Chocolate Baileys Cake

Why this Chocolate Baileys Cake is Special

Ingredients