Irish Coffee Chocolate Cakes

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of sipping an “Irish Coffee”, you know that the flavors of coffee, cream and whiskey form a combination that’s a true delight. Brown sugar-sweetened coffee melds harmoniously with smooth Irish whiskey, their strong flavors mellowed beautifully by a blanket of lightly whipped cream that floats on top. My favorite Irish Coffee experience was at the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco where they are famous for the tipsy treat.

A snap of the Buena Vista Cafe from my trip a few years ago.

Here, the classic beverage is transformed into a dessert that is hard to resist! {Trust me, I almost had to padlock my refrigerator.}

So, when you’re getting ready to celebrate any trace of Irish heritage you might have tomorrow, consider your options carefully. Not a trace of green to be found here… but totally worth the pinch. 😉

Irish Coffee Chocolate Cakes

Irish Coffee Chocolate Cakes! Wonderfully rich, whiskey-infused chocolate mini cakes are layered with sweet, boozy whipped cream in this beverage-inspired dessert. The best chocolate cake is a whiskey chocolate cake! 

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Course Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 3 cakes

Author Dianna Muscari

Ingredients  

• 1 cup  + 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup  + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons Irish Whiskey {I used Knappogue Castle}
• ½ cup hot strong-brewed coffee

For Whipped Cream:

• 1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso
• 3 tablespoons Irish whiskey
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini cake tin {or cupcake tin or cake pan} by brushing with butter {or using cupcake liners for cupcakes}.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a smaller bowl, blend egg, milk, canola oil and whiskey. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir together until most of the dry spots and lumps are gone {but don't overmix}.
• Add hot coffee and mix until everything is well combined. {The batter will be thin.}
• Divide the batter evenly among tins, filling a little over halfway full. {They rise quite a bit.} Bake for about 18-20 minutes -- bake time will depend on the type of vessel you're using, but this is a good approximate time to check on the cakes. When they're done, a toothpick inserted in the center will come out mostly clean with some moist crumbs on it. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes before carefully removing from tins. You may want to run a knife around the edge of the cake pans before trying to remove as the cake is tender. Let them cool completely before topping with whipped cream.
• Make Whipped Cream: In a medium bowl, beat together the whipped cream ingredients until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.
• Assemble: If making mini cakes, cut each cake in half using a serrated knife. Scoop whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip if desired. Pipe cream onto the bottom layer, then top with the other half of the cake. Pipe cream onto the top of each cake. {For cupcakes, simply pipe cream onto each cupcake as you normally would.} Garnish with a sprinkle of cocoa powder and a chocolate covered espresso bean if desired. Note: Since whipped cream isn't as sturdy as buttercream, it's best to assemble these just a few hours before serving. Keep whipped cream refrigerated until ready to use.

Dianna's Tips

This recipe was adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine.