Baileys Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting
Part of our Boozy Buttercream series this Baileys Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting is sweet, creamy, and delicious with just a hint of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur.
Baileys Irish Cream reminds us of Christmas. Although neither Laurie nor I am big drinkers, every year we have a Baileys Over Ice before Christmas Eve dinner. So yummy! So this year we added add a splash of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur into our super delicious Buttercream Frosting and it was a big hit with the rest of the family. This yummy, creamy, for-grownups-only frosting would be fantastic on so many different desserts (even the non-Christmas ones!)
How to Make
Step 1: Add the butter (it should be “slightly softened” which is somewhere between straight out of the refrigerator and room temperature) and the Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur to a mixing bowl. We used 2 teaspoons of Irish Cream. If you want a little bit of a stronger flavor you can add more later in the process. But remember, the flavor will definitely grow stronger over time as the flavor melds with the other ingredients.
Step 2: Mix the butter and the Irish Cream together on medium speed until thoroughly combined (about 2 minutes.) You really want the flavor to meld with the butter to enhance the flavor of the frosting.
Step 3: Use a spatula to scrape the butter mixture down from the sides of the bowl.
Step 4: Measure 1 pound of Powdered Sugar. If you don’t have a food scale, the equivalent is 4 cups. Do you need to sift the Powdered Sugar? We don’t normally do that but instead rely on our mixer to break up any lumps during the mixing process.
Step 5: Add the powdered sugar to the mixing bowl.
Step 6: Place a clean dishtowel around your mixer to keep the sugar from flying out and then start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting. Keep on low until the butter and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds), remove the dishtowel, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and mix for 30-45 more seconds until the frosting starts to be light and fluffy.
Step 7: If the frosting is too thick at this point, add another teaspoon of Irish Cream and mix again.
Step 8: Always taste your frosting! You are trying to determine if the consistency is correct or if it needs a tiny bit more Baileys. Depending on how it tastes, you will take the next step. If the frosting has the right taste but is too thick, add some milk and mix again to check to see if it is now the right consistency. How much milk? That depends on the state of your frosting. A good rule of thumb is to add the milk a teaspoon at a time. You can check out our FAQ section below to see some other advice on making the perfect batch of frosting.
How to Serve
How much frosting will you need? That always depends on how thick or thin you apply the frosting or how much decorating you do but here are a couple of guidelines. Our recipe should make enough Baileys Irish Cream Frosting to cover a 9″ x 13″ sheet cake or a two-layer 8″ cake. If you are making cupcakes, you should be able to frost 24 cupcakes if you apply the frosting with a knife. If you swirl on the frosting with a pastry bag you should be able to frost 15-18 cupcakes depending on the size of the swirl.
Expert Tips and FAQ’s
Frosting stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator should be good for up to a week. If you carefully wrap the frosting in order to avoid freezer burn, the frosting should be fine in the freezer for 3-4 months.
No, the frosting does not need to be refrigerated. For example, brownies frosted with this Baileys Irish Cream Icing would be fine left out on the counter for 2-3 days if the pan was tightly covered with aluminum foil. That said, we usually refrigerate our frosted desserts to keep the baked good from going stale even if the frosting would be fine. We think frosting tastes best at room temperature so we will then remove the item from the refrigerator a couple of hours before we will serve them.
Buttercream is a sweet frosting. One thing you can do if it seems too sweet for your palette is to add a pinch of salt to the frosting. But please note that a little salt goes a long way. We cannot stress enough that a pinch (10-15 granules of regular table salt) is all you usually need. Even 1/4 a teaspoon of salt would probably ruin the frosting. Add the salt and mix again and see if that has cut down on the sweetness level.
Add another teaspoon of milk and mix again. Continue to add the milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is the consistency that you like it
Temperature plays a big part in the consistency of frosting. A thin frosting could mean that the butter has gotten overworked and is too melted. The first thing to do is refrigerate the frosting for an hour and then check to see if the frosting has set back up again. If not, the next step is to add more powdered sugar or cornstarch. Start with either 1/2 cup of Powdered Sugar or 1 tablespoon of Cornstarch. Mix again and see if the consistency is better.
Yes. You can use Half n’ Half or Whipping Cream or even almond milk or another milk substitute.
Other Frosting Recipes You Will Love
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Baileys Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting
Part of our Boozy Buttercream series this Baileys Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting is sweet, creamy and delicious with just a hint of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter, slightly softened (We use Salted Sweet Cream Butter)
- 2 teaspoons Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
- 1 pound (4 cups) of Powdered Sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons Milk (if needed)
Instructions
- Add the butter (it should be “slightly softened” which is somewhere between straight out of the refrigerator and room temperature) and the Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur to a mixing bowl. We used 2 teaspoons of Irish Cream. If you want a little bit of a stronger flavor you can add more later in the process. But remember, the flavor will definitely grow stronger over time as the flavor melds with the other ingredients.
- Mix the butter and the Irish Cream together on medium speed until thoroughly combined (about 2 minutes.) You really want the flavor to meld with the butter to enhance the flavor of the frosting.
- Use a spatula to scrape the butter mixture down from the sides of the bowl.
- Measure 1 pound of Powdered Sugar. If you don’t have a food scale, the equivalent is 4 cups.
- Add the powdered sugar to the mixing bowl.
- Place a clean dishtowel around your mixer to keep the sugar from flying out and then start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting. Keep on low until the butter and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds), remove the dishtowel, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and mix for 30-45 more seconds until the frosting starts to be light and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick at this point, add another teaspoon of Irish Cream and mix again.
- Taste your frosting! You are trying to determine if the consistency is correct or if it needs a tiny bit more Baileys. Depending on how it tastes, you will take the next step. If the frosting has the right taste but is too thick, add some milk and mix again to check to see if it is now the right consistency. How much milk? That depends on the state of your frosting. A good rule of thumb is to add the milk a teaspoon at a time.
Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!
