A luscious white chocolate cake infused with Baileys Irish Cream for a uniquely sweet and flavorful dessert. Topped with a decadent caramel Baileys glaze, this cake is perfect to serve with coffee, tea, or as an after-dinner dessert.

I’ve been on a bender, haha.
Pull up a chair! There’s a lot going on with this cake and it all adds up to delicious, rich flavor of Baileys Irish Cream liquor.
This Baileys Irish Cream Cake is an amazing and unique flavor combination. The base is a white chocolate cake topped those hints of the sweet and creamy goodness. To up the flavor, it is topped with a caramelly infused glaze. This is a flavorful, moist dessert best served with coffee any time of year.
Believe me when I say, it is very much worth the effort to have this around after a long hard day!
Reader’s Tip: I have made this recipe several times as both a 9×13 sheet cake and as a Bundt cake. Instructions for both pans are included.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
Below is an overview of what you will need to make these with notes to making the very best cake including any notes or substitutions.
- Baileys Irish Cream – You need 1 ¾ cup total, so I get the smallest bottle and add any leftover to coffee on the weekends. I have not tried this cake with any flavor options except the original.
- White Chocolate Chips – used as a base flavor that complements the Irish Cream without overpowering it.
- Nuts – You can use any type of nut you like; however, the walnuts are light enough tasting to add support to the sweetness of the Irish Cream. For a nut allergy, you could skip the nuts or use pumpkin seeds or raisins.
- Sugar – I use both white sugar and light brown sugar in this recipe. The combination of white and light brown sugar in the batter helps keep things sweet and moist.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter for both.
- Milk – Offering up a creaminess that works with the baking soda and baking powder but not as much as buttermilk, so the cake stays velvety and dense to support the apple slices.
- Flour – A good quality all-purpose flour is an easy addition. If your flour is particularly lumpy, it can be sifted but not otherwise required.
- Eggs – This cake has 4 eggs which allow for a generous rise and slightly denser cake. Delicious!
- Bailey’s Glaze – This is optional, but I think it really ups the decadence and that awesome flavor. Plus, it smells amazing!
If you want more Baileys flavor, substitute ¼ cup of Baileys instead of the milk. It will also cause the cake to be sweeter.
How to Make Baileys Irish Cream Cake
The full recipe is below in the recipe card, but I include this visual guide to answer any questions and to show how it comes together!
So to make this cake, you start with a white chocolate cake from scratch. It’s all fairly standard and easy to make.
- Prepare a pan. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan or a Bundt pan. This will help the cake to release once it’s baked. (photo 1)
- Combine the wet ingredients. Because there are so many eggs, you will want to break them one at a time because it is harder to mix them in if you put all four eggs at once. (photo 2 batter with all wet ingredients only)
- Pour the cake batter in the pan. Sprinkle the top with white chocolate chips and walnuts. I promise they will sink a little during baking so resist the urge to mix them in. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and cake is bouncy in the middle. (photo 3)
- Make the glaze. This stuff is amazing! Pour it after it has thickened a bit (but isn’t hot) over the cooled cake. The whole combination is something uniquely amazing. (photo 4)
Recipe Tips
- I started out making this cake as a 9×13 sheet cake until I got this Spiral Bundt pan, which I love. Directions for 9×13 is included in the recipe card (the bundt pan version is in the notes because I know it isn’t as common).
- Make sure that your Baking Powder and Baking Soda are fresh. Toss anything stale or over a year old.
- The glaze thickens as it cools. If you need a thicker glaze, you can whisk in 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch until it dissolves.
- If you want more Baileys flavor, substitute ¼ cup of Bailey’s instead of the milk. It will also cause the cake to be sweeter.
- If you have leftover glaze, it is wonderful as a topping for ice cream, pancakes, apple dip, and Apple Crumb Cake
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FAQs about This Recipe
The majority of the alcohol boils out in the glaze and there may be some trace amount left in the cake.
Yes, you can! The cake can be made as either a sheet cake or as a bundt cake. It was actually originally designed as a sheet cake, but I got this beautiful bundt pan and knew it would be perfect for this recipe. The recipe card is below in sheet cake format!
There are a few notes to make if you are making it as a Bundt cake, and they are in the recipe card :
– The cook time is approximately 35 minutes at 350 degrees F.
– A Bundt cake generally is more dense than a sheet cake just because of the height and version of baking. You can adjust for that if you like.
– A 9×13 sheet cake (as this recipe is) fits perfectly in a 10 cup Bundt pan.
– Before putting in the oven, I sprinkle the walnuts and chocolate chips on the bottom.
– For a Bundt cake, pat in the chips and walnuts to more easily allow them to fall as it bakes.
– Reduce the white chocolate chips to ½ cup.
If you would like a thicker sauce, add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch and stir until smooth.
If you have left over cream, Baileys is excellent in mudslides, chocolate martinis, sipped over ice, made as a glaze for ice cream and pancakes, or a sweet coffee creamer.
If you like Baileys Irish Cream, try this cake because it is one awesome dessert. But if anyone in your house loves Baileys too, you might want to hide the sauce. Hubby stole my sauce to put on his ice cream. I really can’t blame him.
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PS If you make this Baileys Cake recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.
Baileys Irish Cream Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter – softened 2 sticks
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
- ½ cup White Sugar
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 4 Eggs
- ¼ cup Whole Milk
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream
- 1 ¾ cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Walnut Pieces
- 1 cup White Chocolate Chips
Glaze
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- ¾ cup Baileys Irish Cream
- â…“ cup White Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan. See Notes for Bundt pan substitutions.
- In mixer, cream the butter, brown and white sugar, and vanilla together. Add eggs, mixing after each addition. Add in milk and Bailey's.
- In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add 1 cup of dry mix to mixer at a time, mixing between additions.
- Put in pan. Sprinkle top with white chocolate chips and walnuts (they will sink some during baking). Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and cake is bouncy in the middle. Allow to cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Allow to cool completely before glazing.
Glaze Instructions
- In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add Bailey's. Bring to simmer. Stir often for 5-7 minutes, depending on desired thickness. Remove from heat.
- Add chocolate chips and whisk until evenly melted. Allow sauce to cool for a few minutes and thicken. If you would like a thicker sauce, add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch and stir until smooth.
- Drizzle over top of cake while the glaze is just a little warm.
Notes
- The cook time is approximately 35 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- A bundt cake generally is more dense than a sheet cake just because of the height and version of baking. You can adjust for that if you like.
- A 9×13 sheet cake (as this recipe is) fits perfectly in a 10 cup bundt pan.
- Before putting in the oven, sprinkle the walnuts and chocolate chips on the bottom. Pat in the chips and walnuts into the cake to more easily allow them to fall as it bakes. Reduce the white chocolate chips to ¾ cup.
Jessica says
Sounds like heaven on earth! I will have to pin this for a day I have time to cook and enjoy this!!! I’m picturing friends, coffee, kicked back, laughs, and THIS CAKE! Sounds like a perfect day to me!
~J
Leslie says
Congratulations…this post was featured on Create It Thursday #46! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful idea with us last week!
Rachel says
Thank you so much! I added a button to my feature page and I definitely linked up this week.
Corinna Ashley says
You are a genious! The cobination. Oh so delicous! Thanks for sharing on plucky’s second thought!
Rachel says
Thank you so much, Corinna!
Jess says
This sounds yummy!
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
Linnycakes says
Visiting from the SITS Spring Fling! You don’t need to convince me it’s amazing, it looks SO YUMMY! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Rebeccafaith says
Now I’m super hungry and ready for a drink! lol
Katherines Corner says
Rachel, I hop you will share this yumminess at my hop today. Hugs!
Rachel says
Of course! I wouldn’t miss it. Hope your having a great day!
Shannon {Cozy Country Living} says
Yum! I love Bailey’s and this cake looks delicious!
Sharon @ Faith Hope Cherrytea says
wow!
some excellent baking here!
thanks for sharing =)
Rachel says
Thank you for stopping by! This is my first recipe post but I have been cooking and baking since I was 8 years old so I have lots more to come.
Mary Ylisela says
Oh my…Bailey’s and Blonde Cake. This was dangerously delicious!
Rachel says
It is a keeper recipe for me, definitely. I am glad to have found the SITS Girls and this is so much fun already!
Mo says
Hi, I’m here from SITS Girls Spring Fling! OMG! I just died and gained 10 pounds! Lol! Looks delish…can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing!
Rachel says
Yeah, I am glad I had an office full of people who like cake to both critique and keep me from eating all of my test cases. Thank you for stopping by!