This Irish coffee cake is moist, buttery and full of Baileys Irish cream, making it the ultimate breakfast or dessert for St. Patrick's Day.
I'm a big fan of St. Patrick's Day because I get to use Baileys - from Baileys ice cream to Guinness chocolate donuts to a Baileys chocolate martini.
But this Irish coffee cake might win the prize for most Baileys flavor. You get it in the cake, streusel and glaze!
Most coffee cakes, contain liquid like milk, so you simply sub in the Irish cream for it, which adds subtle notes of vanilla and chocolate.
And before you ask, no this doesn't contain coffee, but no coffee cake does. It just goes great with a hot cup of brew. Add in the Irish cream flavor and it is like you are having some Baileys coffee.
Oh and while coffee cake is generally meant for breakfast, it works great as a snack or dessert as well. I know as I had 3 slices in one day...
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Ingredient Notes
- Butter - used for the cake and streusel. This is a butter-based cake which means it is a thicker batter and creates a slightly dense but light and buttery crumb.
- Sugar - I like the combo of light brown sugar and granulated sugar for the cake. Light brown sugar is used for the streusel and powdered sugar is needed for the glaze.
- Greek yogurt - adds acidity to react with the baking soda but also helps with the moistness.
- Baileys Irish Cream - adds a sweet, milk and somewhat chocolatey flavor while also replacing the milk for the liquid.
- All-purpose flour - used in both the cake and streusel.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can switch things up if needed. Some variations include:
- I like the using a combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar, but you can use all of one or the other.
- Greek yogurt is my go-to for cakes, but sour cream is a good substitute.
- When it comes to Irish cream, I always think of Baileys, but you can also make your own or use Carolan's or Kavanagh.
Step-by-Step Photos
Beat together the butter and sugars in a bowl until combined before adding in the wet ingredients and beating until combined.
Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl and add to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Make the streusel by mixing together all of the ingredients in a bowl until you get a pea-like texture. Add half of the batter to an 8x8 greased baking pan. Top with half of the streusel mixture.
Add the remaining batter and streusel and bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes or until done.
Make the glaze by whisking together the sugar and Irish cream. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before drizzling the glaze over top.
FAQs
No one knows the exact origin, but it is believe to have gotten the term in the 1800's. Despite its name, there is no coffee in the cake.
It is a butter cake with a streusel topping that is meant to be served with coffee or tea.
So this is the type of cake that you usually just leave the pan. I spray with some cooking spray so I can cut a slice and take it out.
However if you want to take the whole cake out, place some parchment so it hangs over the sides of the pan and you can just lift out once the Irish coffee cake is cool.
You know cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
The key with baking is DO NOT OVERMIX. It’s the death of any baking recipe and with cakes, it can lead to something that is dense and just not very appetizing.
So what does not overmixing mean? Well you mix all of your ingredients right until you see the flour disappear.
The other issue can be baking too long. Trust the toothpick test!
To maximize the shelf life of the cake, place it in a covered airtight container or cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
• Cake at room temperature will last 1-2 days
• Cake in the fridge will last 1 week
• Cake in the freezer will last 4 months
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the recipe turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Stand Mixer - you can also use a hand mixer with mixing bowls.
- Square Pan - you want an 8x8 pan.
- Offset spatula - helps spread out the thick cake batter in the pan.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly.
- The batter is thick so use an offset spatula to spread evenly in the pan.
- Allow the cake to completely cool before adding the glaze.
- Use parchment paper in the pan if you want to take the entire cake out.
Other St. Patrick's Day Recipes
If you’ve tried this Irish coffee cake recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Irish Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- ½ cup Baileys Irish Cream
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Streusel
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Baileys Irish Cream
Irish Cream Glaze
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baileys Irish Cream
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add the Greek yogurt, Irish cream and vanilla extract, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.
- Mix together the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and Irish cream and mix until combined.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan. Pour half of the batter in, spreading to all four corners. Top with half of the streusel mixture. Pour remaining batter over top and add the remaining streusel mix. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While cake is cooling, make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar and Irish cream until combined. Drizzle over the cake after it has cooled for 15 minutes and serve.
Notes
- All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly.
- The batter is thick so use an offset spatula to spread evenly in the pan.
- Allow the cake to completely cool before adding the glaze.
- Use parchment paper in the pan if you want to take the entire cake out.
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