St. Patrick's Day Bailey's Cupcake Cake

St. Patrick's Day Bailey's Cupcake Cake - A delicious chocolate and Bailey's Irish Cream pull-apart cupcake cake in the shape of a shamrock. 

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St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner! The holiday observes the death of St. Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland. Over the years, however, it has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture with parades, Irish foods, drinks, music, dancing and a whole lot of green. 

With that being said, what better way to celebrate Irish culture than with a boozy, shamrock treat?! Both the cupcakes and the frosting are infused with Bailey's Irish Cream making this St. Patrick's Day Bailey's Cupcake Cake the perfect adult treat for your St. Patrick's Day party! 

HOW TO MAKE A ST. PATRICK'S DAY-THEMED CUPCAKE CAKE

To make this pull-apart cupcake cake, you'll need:

• Devil's Food cake mix
• Vegetable oil
• Eggs
• Bailey's Irish Cream
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar
• Green food coloring
• Green and gold sprinkles

MAKING THE CUPCAKES

Preheat your oven to 350℉. Then, line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set it to the side.

1. Beat the cake mix with the vegetable oil, eggs.
2. Add the Bailey's Irish Cream and beat until smooth.
3. Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full with the cake batter. You will need 14 cupcakes to make your shamrock. 
4. Bake your cupcakes according to the directions on the cake mix box. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

MAKING THE FROSTING

While your cupcakes are cooling, you can make the green frosting for your St. Patrick's Day Bailey's Cupcake Cake.

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat your butter and vanilla until smooth.
2. Add 1 cup at a time of the powdered sugar. Blend until smooth.
3. Add the Bailey's Irish Cream until your desired consistency is reached. 

Once the frosting is prepared, go ahead and add about 10 drops of green food coloring. Blend until the color is consistent.

ASSEMBLING THE CUPCAKE CAKE

Once your cupcakes are cooled and the frosting is made, it's time to transform your cupcakes into a St. Patrick's Day shamrock.

Begin by arranging the cupcakes into the shape of a shamrock on a large cake board as shown below. 

Use a spatula to spread the frosting over all of the cupcakes. 

Add the sprinkles, and put the remaining frosting in a plastic storage bag.

Cut the corner of the bag and pipe a thick line of frosting around the edge of the shamrock.

WHAT IS A PULL-APART CAKE?

A pull-apart cake is made up of cupcakes that can be pulled apart vs. a traditional cake which requires a knife for cutting. Pull-apart cakes are so convenient and great for birthday parties and celebrations.

TIPS FOR MAKING A SHAMROCK CUPCAKE CAKE

• You will need 14 cupcakes to make this recipe work, so you may need an additional cupcake tin. Bake 1 tin at a time. 
• Dip your spatula in water before frosting the cupcakes. This will prevent the frosting from sticking. You could also spray it with nonstick cooking spray. 
• Add a dab of frosting to the bottom of each cupcake. Press the cupcakes firmly to the cake board. This will keep the cupcakes in place while you frost them.

CAN I MAKE THIS CAKE WITHOUT ALCOHOL?

Absolutely! Just make the cake box following the directions on the back of the box.

Leave the Bailey's Irish Cream completely out of the recipe. For the frosting, you can add milk or cream instead of the alcohol.

HOW TO STORE A BAILEY'S CUPCAKE CAKE

To store the pull-apart cupcake cake, you'll want to wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. You can store it at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

If you store your cupcake cake in the refrigerator, the frosting will get hard. So, be sure to let it sit at room temperature before serving it.

MORE ST. PATRICK'S DAY DESSERTS

• Microwave Lucky Charms Treats
• Mint Oreo Pudding Shots
• Mint Chocolate Lush Dessert
• Pistachio Pie Bars
• Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting
• Easy Grasshopper Pie