“Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts”

Why you need to make a shopping list and run, not walk to your local market? Do this one thing for me this week and make this Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts. This cake will knock your socks off. If you love Baileys Irish Cream then get ready to fall in love all over again. Indulge yourself, immerse yourself into the richest, chocolatey, and family-friendly recipes imagined.

No worries about the alcohol because it cooks out while baking. That said, the ganache does have a bit of Baileys but you have the option of leaving it out. I highly recommend the hazel nuts sprinkled on top.

Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts

So, what makes this cake so special? Number one is the infusion of irish cream. The taste of Baileys shines through in every bite leaving you saying, “Mmmm”. Too bad we don’t have taste-a-vision (laugh).

Anyway, second is the cake itself. It’s tender crumb and softness are very much a part of this cake. Each bite will melt in your mouth only to leave you wanting one more bite and another.

Third is the chocolatey goodness baked in one pan. All you need is a saucepan, a Bundt or tube pan, and a mixer. Now, let’s start baking!

Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts

This Baileys Chocolate Cake is an another no sweat recipe. As you know, sometimes I like spending the day in the kitchen. My whole day can revolve around creating recipes, making food gifts, or baking just because I can.

Whatever yours reasons to bake, there is not need to spend all day on this cake. The hardest part is letting the cake cool. Your house will smell so good.

Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts

Start your the Baileys cake by heating water and butter in a saucepan. Make sure the butter is completely melted then remove from heat. Stir in Dutch-process cocoa powder and espresso powder until both are dissolved. Let stand to cool. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Using your stand mixer, beat sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Add in cocoa-butter mixture into sugar-egg mixture, beating for one more minute. Add in vanilla and Baileys, beating only for a few seconds.

Slowly add in flour mixture, folding gently with a spatula. Do not overmix, however, adding flour little by little keeps you from having white dots throughout the cake after it’s baked. That means your flour was not mixed in thoroughly. Trust me, I had to learn the hard way.

Pour your batter into prepared pan that has been greased and coated with cocoa. Tap pan on counter to rid any air bubbles and bake. Let your cake cool before adding your ganache and hazelnuts.

 Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts

Ready for an Oh My Gosh moment? This ganache will have you saying that and more. To make the ganache you’ll heat heavy cream until you see steam. Remove pan from heat. Add your chocolate chips, vanilla, and Baileys. Let mixture stand without stirring for 5 minutes.

Stir mixture until completely melted and ganache is shiny and smooth. Pour ganache over cooled cake and sprinkle on hazelnuts. There you have it: one incredibly delicious cake. Don’t mind me, cut yourself a big slice.

Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts

If you love chocolate and Baileys then this is the cake for you. I guarantee this chocolate cake will go in your recipes on repeat file.  Making cakes is something I don’t bake very often but this one I love for special occasions or just to have a sweet treat around.

The chocolatey richness and softness, plus flavor left from the Baileys along with creamy ganache and crunchy hazelnuts is irresistible. Servings kids? Leave the Baileys out of the ganache. Everyone’s going to love it. This is one sure way to see smiles on everybody’s faces. Happy Baking!

Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts

Baileys Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Hazelnuts

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1½ cups water

½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

2 t. instant espresso powder

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

¼ t. fine sea salt

2 large eggs

1½ cups granulated sugar

1 t. vanilla bean paste

½ cup Baileys Irish Cream

Ganache:

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 t. pure vanilla extract

1 T. Baileys Irish Cream

½ cup toasted chopped hazelnuts

Heat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 10-cup tube pan and dust with cocoa powder.

In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, heat water and melt butter. Once butter is completely melted, remove pan from heat.

Stir in cocoa powder and espresso powder until dissolved. Set mixture aside to cool.

Meanwhile, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add in cooled cocoa mixture and beat for 1 minute. Blend in vanilla bean paste and Baileys for a few seconds.

Remove mixer bowl and add in flour mixture a little at a time, using a spatula to fold thoroughly after each addition. Do not over mix.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in center of oven for 45 – 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted comes out almost clean.

Remove cake to wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and allow cake to completely cool.

To prepare ganache: In a microwave-safe 1 cup measure, heat heavy cream for 50 seconds.

Add in chocolate chips, vanilla and Baileys, if using. Let mixture sit without stirring. After 5 minutes, whisk ganache until chocolate is melted and ganache is shiny and smooth.

Pour ganache over cake on wire rack and sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts.

Cake should sit 30 minutes before slicing. Store leftovers in refrigerator in airtight container.

Makes 16 servings.