Baileys chocolate cupcakes

Got someone in your life that you love? You love yourself, right? Well make these Baileys chocolate cupcakes right now and bring some more happiness and love to the world.

In Australia Valentine’s Day is sorta but not really a thing. Slowly, slowly we are following in the footsteps of America to make this day a bigger deal. Miss8 told me recently, for instance, that they are making Valentine’s Day cards at school for their parents.

For me, any excuse to bake something with a pink or red theme is an opportunity to be seized. Naturally you can have these Baileys chocolate cupcakes at any time of year – in fact, they are so good that I suggest making them waaaaay more than once a year.

This is a simple, from scratch, one bowl Valentines Day baking recipe that will set your heart aflutter – of that of your beloved – as you take the first bite.

Top with butter cream, your favourite icing, or sprinkle with cocoa or icing sugar. I used a butter cream recipe that works every time, and topped that with pink and red M&Ms I bought on our recent trip to San Francisco.

Ahhhh, food – how I love thee.

GATHER:

Cupcakes

1 cup self-raising flour

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Baileys

125g melted, cooled butter

2 heaped tablespoons sifted cocoa

2 eggs

Butter cream:

250 grams of butter, diced, at room temperature

2 cups sifted icing sugar

A few tablespoons of milk

Red or pink food colouring

Red or pink lollies / candy to decorate

LET’S GET TO IT:

Preheat oven to 170C and line 11 holes of a cupcake tray with liners.

Place all ingredients into bowl of electric mixer and with beaters on low beat until combined.

Increase speed and beat for 4 minutes – batter should become lighter and everything should be mixed together by now.

Fill cupcake liners two thirds of the way full then bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven then place on cooling rack until completely cold.

Meanwhile, beat butter for icing in bowl with electric beaters for three minutes or until pale.

Sift in icing sugar and add just enough milk to make it a spreadable consistency. Carefully add a drop or two of food colouring and mix on low, until you get the desired colour.

Fill a ziplock bag with icing, pipe onto cakes and top with lollies.

Tags: Bailey's, baking, cake, chocolate, cupcakes, food, recipe, Valentine's Day