Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes (a.k.a. Old Gregg Cupcakes)

If you are a fan of Irish Cream Liqueur, or know someone who is, try these cupcakes! I may be biased because of my love for Bailey's, but I truly enjoyed this recipe.  If you have access to Coole Swan unlike most of us Americans, I can only imagine that making the recipe even better.

If you don't know the Old Gregg Bailey's connection, I highly recommend going to youtube for a moment and searching for him.  It's a particular episode from the "Mighty Boosh" TV series.

Anywho, it was my friend Crystal's birthday and she was going to be visiting from out of town.  As an avid fan of Old Gregg,  I knew I needed to make her Bailey's cupcakes.  I was able to find a recipe online that had the best reviews I could find, and gave it a shot myself.

Next time I will brush the tops of the naked/baked cupcakes with some Bailey's, but as alcohol doesn't last long in my household, I had just enough for the recipe and frosting.

I tweaked the frosting recipe a tad, and what I changed will be in parenthesis.

Bailey's Cupcakes
Adapted from Cupcake Rehab
http://cupcakerehab.com/2010/03/luck-o-the-irish-baileys-cupcakes/
Makes 26-28 cupcakes

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups Bailey’s (or any other Irish Cream Liqueur)
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt

~Preheat the oven to 325 °F.  Prepare muffin tins with cupcake liners.

~In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.

~In a separate bowl, combine the liqueur, water, milk and mix together. (I did this in a measuring cup to save on dishes)

~In another bowl, thoroughly combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

~Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the liqueur mixture. Beat on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes. (You should start and end with the flour mixture)

~Fill cupcake liners three-fourths full and bake for 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  (These don't rise too much, so feel free to be a little heavy handed. I've been using an automatic ice-cream scooper and it's made my life easier.)

~Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. I recommend topping these with the frosting mentioned below!

Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.
• 3 cups powdered sugar (I added a little more because I went heavy on the Bailey's, and because of the addition of vanilla extract that I did)
• 2 tablespoons (maybe more) Bailey’s
• (1/4th teaspoon vanilla extract)
• (Pinch of salt)

~Cream the butter on high speed for approximately 3 minutes.

~Add the Bailey’s and mix thoroughly. Slowly add the powdered sugar until well blended.

~If necessary, add more Bailey’s to thin or more sugar to thicken it to desired texture. (This is the point I tasted the frosting and decided to add a little salt and the vanilla extract.)

~Feel free to brush Bailey's on top of your cupcakes before frosting. Enjoy your soft and creamy beige cupcakes!

(I loved these liners my mom found! Merry Christmas lovelies!)