Irish Cream Cupcakes

Woo-hoo! Today is St. Patrick’s Day!!! And as per usual, the last post of my St. Patrick’s Day recipe run features a cupcake. And oh what a cupcake it is! Are ya’ll ready for this? Five Farms Irish Cream Cupcakes! These divine cupcakes are tender and moist and just bursting with Irish Cream flavor which is only intensified by the dreamy Irish Cream Swiss Meringue topping.

As I mentioned, I have always ended my St. Patrick’s Day run of recipes with a cupcake offering. Last year it was these decadent Baileys Tres Leches Cupcakes.

And the year before I tempted you with these zingy Irish Whiskey Ginger and Lime Cupcakes

One year, Baileys made an appearance in these Butterfly Cakes (aka Fairy Cakes) filled with Strawberry Jam & Topped with Baileys Whipped Cream

Guinness took the stage here with these Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

One year I even turned Scáiltín, which is an old fashioned Irish milk punch into a cupcake with these Malted Scáiltín Cupcakes

And I was able to squeeze Guinness, Jamesons and Baileys into these boozy Chocolate Whiskey Dipped Irish Cupcakes

Phew! That is a lot of St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes! And there are even a few more to be found in my recipe library. If you can’t find a cupcake that appeals to you there, I think maybe you just don’t like cupcakes! Todays featured cupcake is made with Five Farms Irish Cream liqueur. Five Farms is a new discovery for me from my most recent trip to Ireland. I first mentioned it in my post about Irish Coffee Martini and it made another appearance in my Irish Coffee Truffles post. Here it is again! Clearly I’m obsessed.

Speaking of my most recent trip to Ireland, today I’m going to tell you all about our last few days of our visit, which were spent in Dublin.

Now I probably shouldn’t tell you this, because I don’t want the secret getting too far out. But I just can’t help myself because I am so excited about this boutique townhouse hotel. We absolutely love it and would not consider staying anywhere else when visiting Dublin – the incomparable Number 31! This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard.

The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance.

So much personality!

And the award winning, legendary breakfast never disappoints. They serve an amazing homemade Cranberry-orange Nut Loaf that is to die for. I attempted to get the recipe, but wasn’t able to wheedle it out of them. You’ll just have to go try it for yourselves! Hands down this is one of the best breakfasts I’ve had anywhere – full stop!

The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We have a lot of friends in Dublin and spent the days shopping, dining and visiting quite a few pubs!

All in all it was a fantastic visit and believe me, we won’t wait 10 years again to go back!

But let me get back to those featured cupcakes of the day – Five Farms Irish Cream Cupcakes!

As I mentioned, if you’ve been following along on my St. Patrick’s Day countdown this year, you are certainly familiar with Five Farms Irish Cream liqueur.

I swear to you I am not getting paid by them, I just really find it superior to the other Irish Creams out there. If you can’t find a bottle, I’m sure you’ll find a substitute, but trust me – you want a bottle of Five Farms!

These mini cupcakes may be small in size but really pack a punch as far as dreamy Irish Cream goodness goes. And since they’re so small, there’s no need to limit yourself to one! They are very easy to make and are sure to be a crowd pleaser. Perfect for any St. Patrick’s Day shindig you might attend. So what are you waiting for? Get baking! I wish everyone a safe, healthy and happy holiday! Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daiobh (Happy St. Patrick’s Day)!

• Servings: 48 mini cupcakes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe from: Confessions of a Baking Queen

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 208 grams (1 2/3 Cups) Cake Flour
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 4oz (1/2 Cup) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 200 grams (1 Cup) Granulated Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
• 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
• 4oz (1/2 Cup) Sour Cream
• 4oz (1/2 Cup) Five Farms Irish Cream (I suppose you could substitute flavored non-alcoholic creamer if you didn’t want the booze – but seriously – What are you like?!!! Oh and of course if you can’t get Five Farms, poor you… we all know Baileys is a good substitute.)

For the frosting:

• 3 Large Egg Whites, at room temp.
• 112.5 grams (1/2 Cup + 1 Tablespoons) Granulated Sugar
• 7.5 oz (3/4 Cups + 3 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter cubed, room temperature
• 3-5 Tablespoons Five Farms Irish Cream, adjust to your preference (Need I say that I used all 5…and they were rather generous Tablespoons)
• Espresso powder to dust over the top (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C and line a mini muffin tin with mini cupcake liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture is very light and fluffy.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for another 3 minutes. Mix in the sour cream for one minute. Gently fold in half of the flour mixture, mix until just combined. Add the Irish cream and once it is incorporated, mix in remaining flour until just combined. Scoop batter into cupcake liners so they are ⅔ full. A 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop works great here.

Bake for 10- 12 minutes until fully baked- check by pressing the top center lightly. If the cake springs back it’s done. Or you can use a toothpick inserted in the center – when it has no wet batter on it, the cupcakes are done.

Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. 

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.

Place a small pot containing a little water on a burner over low heat until it reaches a simmer. Then place a larger heatproof bowl on top making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water- the steam from the simmering water will cook the mixture. Add the sugar and egg whites to the bowl and whisk until the mixture reaches about 150F/65C or until the sugar has dissolved and the texture has slightly thickened and its foamy. If you rub the mixture between your fingers you should not feel the sugar granules. This should take approximately 3 – 5 minutes.

Add the mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed for 5-8 minutes until the mixture has cooled and appears thick and glossy.

Next, add the butter cubes one at a time, mixing until the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next cube. If the mixture starts to look a bit curdled don’t worry, just keep mixing. It will eventually come together and have a lush smooth texture.

Once you have a smooth buttercream add the Irish Cream to taste and mix again until fully incorporated.

Frost the cupcakes once they have cooled; using a pastry bag fitted with either a star or found tip. Garnish cupcakes with espresso powder.

Enjoy!

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Irish Cream Cupcakes:

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale

Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer

OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop

Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

King Arthur Espresso Powder

Drizly – Not sure if this will work for you as all states liquor laws are different, but if it does work in your state, Drizly will deliver alcohol right to your door! It is worth checking out. I have purchased the Five Farms Irish Cream as well as the West Cork Whiskey from Drizly.

Five Farms Irish Cream

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!

Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:

Murphy’s Ice Cream – I LOVE Murphy’s Ice Cream! We used to only be able to get it when we visited Dingle, but now they have opened several shops and one is in Dublin, just steps off of Grafton Street! Their ice cream is made with fresh from the farm milk, lots of local cream, free range eggs, and organic sugar. No colourings, flavourings, or powdered milk. My favorite flavor, though it is so hard to choose because they are all so exquisite, is probably Brown Bread.

Cafe en Seine – Stunning restaurant/bar in the heart of Dublin’s City Center featuring gilded, Gatsby-esque decor.

Juanitos – self described as “soul food LA style” this fusion of Asian & Mexican cuisines really hit the spot!

Three Storey – As the name suggests, this stylish cafe, spritzeria and cocktail bar stretches over three floors of a traditional Georgian building which overlooks St. Stephen’s Green in the city center. Modern and very relaxed atmosphere. Fantastic Aperol Spritz!

r.i.o.t. – Definitely divey – this bar is located right on the Quays in the heart of Dublin city centre. Awesome place to people watch. Has full bar and house brand cocktails. Serves up Brooklyn style pizza.

P.Macs – Cozy quirky and retro gastropub with a shabby cool decor. Very relaxing atmosphere.

Shops:

Fallon & Byrne – Four floors of foodie heaven! Located just steps off of Grafton Street, you’ll find a wine bar, a brasserie, a ballroom as well as a food hall. The food hall was our destination and it was chock full of tempting goodies, often from smaller artisan producers throughout Ireland, but also from beyond. This is where I purchased my Dillisk for those Twice Baked Colcannon Potatoes. There are fresh fish, meat and cheese counters as well as a deli counter for tempting take away.

Article – Contemporary, Independent Design and Homeware shop located in the Powercourt Townhouse in Dublin city center. The place to shop if you are looking to buy thoughtful quality gifts for anyone – maybe even yourself!

Attractions:

Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.

Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.

Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.

Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!

Irish Coffee Truffles

It’s day 3 of my St. Patrick’s Day run up of recipes and have I got a winner for you today – Irish Coffee Truffles! These little dickens are rich, creamy and boozy with a zing of espresso. Perfect not only to get that St. Patrick’s Day party started, but also to keep it going or even as a perfect compliment to your nightcap!

Now there’s only a few ingredients needed to create these lovely little indulgences, so you want to make sure you use those of the best quality. And for the booze, I have some recommendations. I told you all about them in my first post of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day countdown – The Irish Coffee Martini. These tipples are new discoveries for me from our most recent trip to Ireland in October 2022 and I am absolutely wild about both of them! I strongly recommend that you get ahold of some West Cork Irish Whiskey as well as some Five Farms Irish Cream.

On our most recent trip to Ireland I was thrilled to be able to stay in the luxurious 5 Star Cliff House Hotel which is located in the charming fishing village of Ardmore in County Waterford. We have been dying to stay here for years so this was quite a treat! This small boutique hotel seems to defy gravity as it clings to the cliffs above the sea. Full advantage is taken of this birds eye location with nearly the entire sea facing side of the hotel consisting of floor to ceiling (sometimes spanning multiple floors) windows looking out over Ardmore Bay.

View from our Bedroom balcony towards the village

View from our living room balcony looking out over Ardmore Bay

Indeed every room boasts a seaview and either a balcony or terrace. The decor is sleek, modern and bright featuring stacked stone walls and gorgeous tweed throws on the beds.

The bathrooms are huge! The semi transparent wall between the bathroom and bedroom allows the natural light to stream in.

There are cozy fireplaces in both the bedroom and living room of the suites.

You can enjoy their abundant, cooked to order breakfast in their lovely restaurant while gazing out over the sea or enjoy a lazy relaxing start to the day as we did and have it delivered to your room.

The infinity pool at the spa seems to flow out into the sea. There is also an outside jacuzzi. We indulged in massages, facials and a very relaxing peat soak in outside bathtubs while gazing over the sea and wild cliffs.

The Cliff Walk is located steps away from the entrance to the hotel. This 4 km walk features beautiful seascapes and breathtaking views from Ardmore Head and Rams Head. It starts with Temple Dysert, the 10th C ruins of a monastery originally founded by St. Declan as well as his curative well.

We passed the wreck of the Samson which hit the cliffs in 1987.

And stopped to drink the curative waters from Fr. O’Donnell’s curative spring. With Covid still lurking about, we figured we should have all the help we could get!

But let me get back to today’s tasty treat – Irish CoffeeTruffles!

Made with rich dark chocolate, Irish Cream, Irish Whiskey and espresso, how could they be otherwise than divine! These truffles are easy to make, albeit the rolling of them can get a bit messy. But it is definitely worth it. I made the ganache one day and left in the fridge overnight and then on the following day, I rolled and coated the truffles. I used chopped pistachios, a combo of confectioners sugar, espresso powder and cocoa and then just plain pistachio flour, for those who maybe didn’t like the toothy vibe that the pistachio pieces provided.

I’m not sure which was my favorite. But that is the fun thing with these truffles, you can do you! Love coconut – do that! I have also dipped these truffles in chocolate coating before which is also a lot of fun. Folks at your St. Patrick’s Day festivities will be undoubtedly smitten with these indulgent boozy bites!

• Servings: 30
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe slightly adapted from: Once Upon a Chef

Ingredients:

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons West Cork Irish Whiskey
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Pinch salt
• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghiradelli, chopped
• Cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed), confectioners’ sugar, espresso powder, finely chopped pistachios, pistachio flour or unsweetened shredded coconut, for coating*

Directions:

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the heavy cream, Five Farms Irish Cream, West Cork Irish Whiskey, espresso powder, butter and salt. Microwave on high power until the mixture comes to a boil, 70 to 80 seconds. Watch that it doesn’t boil over. Add the chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds to melt. Using a whisk, stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is glossy and smooth. Refrigerate until completely firm, about 3 hours or overnight (to speed this chilling process up, pour the mixture into a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate).

Place your coating(s) on a plate. Remove the chilled truffle mixture from the refrigerator. If you’ve had the mixture in the fridge for longer than 3 hours, you may need to let it sit out at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so it’s malleable enough to work with.

Using a small spoon, scoop out about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture. Dust your fingertips with the cocoa powder or the confectioners’ sugar/cocoa mixture. Use your fingertips to shape into a rough ball. Quickly and gently roll in your palms to form into a smooth ball, then roll in your topping of choice. (If the chocolate starts to melt from the warmth of your palms, drop the truffle into the cocoa or confectioners’ sugar/cocoa mixture and lightly coat, then continue rolling. You may need to wash your hands in cold water from time to time.) Place the truffles in a single layer on a plate or in a storage container, cover, and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving (keep in mind that they’ll get too soft if left out at room temperature for too long). The truffles will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for up to two months.

*For my toppings I used rough chopped pistachios, pistachio flour and a mixture of 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon espresso powder and 1 Tablespoon Dutch Process Cocoa.

Enjoy!

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Irish Cream Truffles:

Pistachio Flour

Espresso Powder

Small Cookie Scoop (2 3/4 – 2 tsp. /#100) or King Arthur Flour has this one.

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation:

The Cliff House Hotel – Luxurious 5 star boutique hotel in the picturesque fishing village of Ardmore. Boasts Michelin starred fine dining and amazing spa!

Irish Coffee Martini

All right folks…let’s get this party started! Let the countdown to St. Patrick’s Day 2023 begin! And what better way to kick things off than with this caffeinated, boozy delight of a cocktail – the Irish Coffee Martini!

This boozy libation with an added kick of caffeine is easy to make. Just throw some cold brew coffee, quality Irish Whiskey and Irish Cream Liqueur with a bit of simple syrup and ice into a shaker and well…give it a good shaking! Voila! You’ve turned your favorite hot beverage into a irresistible adult coffee cooler!

Now while we are at it – I do have some suggestions for which quality Irish Whiskey and Irish Cream you use. These are new discoveries for me from our most recent trip to Ireland in October 2022 and I am absolutely wild about both of them!

Before this most recent trip in October, we had not visited Ireland since 2012. So we were long overdue! Our first stop after flying into Dublin and renting a car was the gorgeous town of Trim in County Meath. This charming town, situated on the River Boyne, is one of the best preserved medieval towns and is only a 40 minute drive from Dublin airport. Great place to shake off your jet lag after an overnight flight from the States. The town dates back to the 5th Century. In fact, St. Patrick is said to have founded a monastery there. It was taken over by the English in the 12th Century. That is when Hugh de Lacy began work on Trim Castle, which is the largest Norman Castle in Ireland. We were delighted to have stayed at the lovely Trim Castle Hotel in one of their plush Heritage Rooms. Our room boasted a balcony which looked out on the Castle.

Although Trim may be smaller in population, it certainly does not lack in things to do, like touring the above mentioned castle and strolling along their river walk. A great base for touring Meath it is very close to all the Bru na Boinne valley has to offer (more on that in a later post) and has plenty of restaurants and bars to ease your transatlantic recovery.

1st Pint, but not to be the last by any means, of the trip!

But let me get back to those Irish Whiskey and Irish Cream recommendations. The Husband and I have a handful of godchildren in Ireland and I have them to thank for introducing us to these delightful tipples. I strongly recommend that you get ahold of some West Cork Irish Whiskey as well as some Five Farms Irish Cream. They were my go to’s for this Martini and you will see them again in other recipes to come this year. Both of these products hail from County Cork which is the largest and southernmost county in Ireland. This county has it all from lush fields of green, to mountains to rugged coastlines. And the fiercely independent folk there have a reputation for challenging authority. Cork is often called the “Rebel County” or “The People’s Republic of Cork”

West Cork Distillers, who craft smooth triple distilled, non-chill filtered whiskey, have the largest wholly Irish owned distillery in the country. Situated in Skibbereen they source the best local ingredients to craft their products. I am using their Bourbon Cask matured whiskey here, but they also offer whiskey matured in various other casks. Five Farms single batch Irish Cream liqueur is also produced in beautiful County Cork in the southern portion where the land meet the sea. The fresh cream used in this rich smooth liqueur is sourced entirely from 5 family owned farms. It is combined with premium triple distilled whiskey. In fact, there is a greater amount of Irish Whiskey in this product than most other brands of Irish Cream. This results in a warm sweet creamy taste in which the complexity of the whiskey shines through. I know all you hear this time of year is Jamesons and Baileys, and they are very good. But maybe you should branch out a bit this year and try something new.

This Irish Coffee Martini is gonna give you just the right combination of caffeine jolt and boozy smooth and mellow. Guaranteed to be a hit at any St. Patrick’s Day festivity. What are ya waiting for? Get shaking!

• Servings: 1 martini
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe slightly adapted from: Burrata and Bubbles

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 ounces cold-brew coffee
• 1 1/2 ounces West Cork Irish Whiskey
• 1 ounce Five Farms Irish Cream
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup*
• Ice
• Coffee bean or even better, chocolate covered coffee bean to garnish (optional, but very nice!)

Directions:

Chill your martini glasses by filling with ice and a small amount of water. Leave this in the glass while you are preparing the cocktail. Once you are ready to serve, pour the ice water mixture out and dry the glass.

Mix together the espresso powder and sugar on a small plate.

Run some simple syrup around the rim of your martini glass. Then, swirl in the espresso powder-sugar mixture. Set aside.

In a cocktail shaker, add the cold-brew coffee, West Cork Irish Whiskey, Five Farms Irish Cream, simple syrup and ice. Pop on the top and shake vigorously for about 15 to 30 seconds.

Strain into prepared martini glasses.

Enjoy!

*Feel free to use store bought or home made simple syrup. To make at home you simply (ha ha ha…) bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a high simmer on the stove in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture simmers and the sugar dissolves, remove from heat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This can be done well in advance and will keep for several weeks. Easy peasy!

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Irish Coffee Martini:

Espresso Powder

Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Drizly – Not sure if this will work for you as all states liquor laws are different, but if it does work in your state, Drizly will deliver alcohol right to your door! It is worth checking out.

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Trim, Ireland

Accommodation: Trim Castle Hotel – Contemporary Luxury Accommodation in the heart of Ancient Ireland! This fantastic, family owned hotel boast 68 relaxing modern rooms. We stayed in their Heritage Room which offered a spectacular view of Trim Castle. This hotel has a very comfortable atmosphere and has a cafe, bar and restaurant on site. It offers parking as well, but if you’d rather not rent a car but wish to get out of Dublin, the hotel offers transfer to and from Dublin Airport. We can’t wait to visit again!

Pubs & Restaurants:

Sally Roger’s Pub: Friendly folks and great atmosphere! Besides the cozy interior, this pub also has a large outside balcony over the River Boyne with a great view of the old bridge. This bridge was built in 1393 and is one of the country’s oldest complete and unaltered working bridges.

Wau Asian Cuisine: I know you might be thinking, why are you eating Chinese in Ireland? Well we knew there would be plenty of amazing Irish dishes to come in this trip and sometimes you are just craving Chinese, no matter where you might be! So this is where we landed and we are so glad we did! Located right above Sally Roger Pub, we got take-away from Wau Asian which was really delicious! Their tasty tofu is homemade. I highly recommend a tofu dish. And if you want to add a bit of “Irishness’ to your dinner, get chips to go with your main dish instead of the usual rice! Yup…it’s a thing.