Ridiculously Easy Chocolate Cake with Irish Buttercream
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons cocoa I use Hershey's most of the time
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt I use Morton
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup neutral flavored oil (options are canola, grape seed, sunflower, safflower, avocado, corn, vegetable or a light, mild-flavored olive oil)
- 1 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Irish Cream liqueur Bailey's or a generic brand - we love the Irish Cream from Costco
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot tap water
For the Irish buttercream:
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 4 tablespoons butter (I use salted butter - if you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt)
- 2 ½ tablespoons Irish Cream liqueur
- 2 tablespoon half and half maybe a bit more
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar maybe a bit more
Instructions
For the cake:
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Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray an 8 or 9-inch pan with baking spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside. (Note - an 8-inch pan makes a tall, pretty cake. However, if your 8-inch pan does not have sides that are, at least, 2 inches tall, use a 9-inch pan.)
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Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-large bowl.
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Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk, oil, egg, Bailey’s, vanilla and hot water. Whisk well until smooth.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted in the center of the cake, comes out clean OR until an instant thermometer, inserted in the center of the cake, reads 200-210˚F.
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Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
For the Irish buttercream:
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In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and chocolate. Cook on high power for 45 seconds. Stir and continue to microwave for 10-second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted.
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Add the Irish Cream, half and half and vanilla extract and stir until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and stir until completely incorporated. The icing should be smooth and spreadable. If it seems too thick, add a bit more half and half. If too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
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Transfer the cake from the cooling rack to a serving platter the way it is on the rack - in other words, the flat bottom of the cake will be the top.
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Pile the buttercream onto the center of the cooled cake and spread with an offset knife or table knife to the edges, swirling the icing decoratively, if desired.
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Slice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn't have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
Recipe adapted from The BEST an Easiest Cupcakes recipe which was adapted from Add a Pinch