These adorable Coffee and Irish Cream Mini Bundt Cakes are the perfect dessert for a St Patrick’s Day picnic or a sophisticated indulgence for a romantic picnic.
Ready in under an hour, these pretty Bundtinis, with a good tipple of Baileys Irish Cream, are much easier to make than you might think.
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Why You’ll Love These Mini Bundt Cakes
- Super Easy to Make: You can whip these up in under an hour.
- Perfect Size: These mini bundt cakes are just the right size for a picnic.
- A Touch of Elegance: The combination of Bailey’s and coffee gives these cakes an elegant, grown-up twist.
- Easy to Transport: Their sturdy yet adorable shape makes them easy to transport. See my tips for transporting cupcakes, especially if you want to get super fancy with your frosting – Maybe for a Valentine’s picnic.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Coffee: Brew strong coffee or espresso to taste, or mix 3-4 teaspoons of instant coffee granules with 1 tablespoon hot water for the cake batter. For the frosting, dissolve 1 heaped teaspoon of instant coffee in 2 tablespoons boiling water, then cool before adding.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and notes.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Flavor Variations
- Spiced Version: Incorporate some cozy spices, like a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, into the batter for a warm, spiced flavor – a nice seasonal twist for a fall picnic dessert.
- Orange Zest: Incorporate a hint of orange zest into the batter for a fresh citrusy twist that works very well with the coffee and baileys combo. This flavor profile makes me think of winter picnic cakes like my Gingerbread Cake with Orange Glaze.
- Alcohol-Free Version: Use a non-alcoholic Irish cream syrup to achieve the taste of Baileys Irish Cream without the Alcohol content.
- Decorative Variations: Instead of gold sprinkles and coffee beans, sprinkle with chocolate shavings, a dusting of cocoa powder, or edible flowers (this is a gorgeous picnic date food idea) – you choose. You could skip the frosting and lightly sprinkle the cakes with powdered sugar.
Irish Cream Syrup has all the flavors of Irish Cream Liqueur without the alcohol.
Step by Step Instructions
Bundt Cake Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2: Spray a six-serving mini bundt cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Step 3: Mix dry ingredients – flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Step 4: Combine the sugar and canola oil with an electric mixer until well combined.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again until all ingredients are well combined.
Step 5: Add the Bailey’s and brewed coffee and mix until well combined.
Step 6: Mix in the dry ingredients on low to medium speed until smooth.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all the ingredients are combined.
Add the sour cream and mix once more until fully incorporated.
Step 7: Pour the batter into the prepared mini bundt cake pan, filling each cavity to approximately ¾ full.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking for doneness after 20 minutes to ensure they don’t overcook. If a toothpick inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean, they’re done.
Cool the cakes in the pan for around 10-15 minutes, then flip the pan onto a wire cooling rack to cool the cakes.
Frosting Directions
Step 8: Cream the butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar and mix slowly until just combined.
Pour in the coffee and continue to mix slowly until combined.
Increase the mixer speed and beat the frosting until fluffy.
Step 9: Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
Pipe the frosting into the center of each bundt cake, filling the void and creating a swirl at the top.
Garnish as you please. I like gold sprinkles and coffee beans.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use instant coffee. Just ensure it’s dissolved in hot water and cooled before adding it to the batter or frosting.
To properly cool your mini bundt cakes, transfer the pan to a wire rack immediately after baking. Give them about 10-15 minutes to cool down – just enough time for the cakes to firm up for easy removal without falling apart. Howvere, you need to be cautious not to leave them in the pan too long, as they can become overly moist and stick to the pan. This sweet spot in cooling time ensures your cakes are perfectly shaped and moist.
Expert Tips
- Cocoa & Coffee: Use high-quality cocoa powder and robust, flavorful coffee to intensify the depth of flavors in your cakes. I like to use espresso coffee for maximum flavor without any bitterness.
- Sour Cream: Use full-fat sour cream for a richer, moister cake texture. If you don’t have sour cream, full-fat Greek yogurt is fine.
- Mixing: Don’t overmix the batter once the flour is added; this can make the cakes too dense.
- Ingredients at Room Temperature: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing to achieve a smoother batter. This is especially so for the butter in the frosting – room temperature, not melted.
- Cooling Times: Watch the cooling times. Let the cakes cool in the pan so they don’t fall apart but for no longer than 15 minutes as they may become soggy and stick.
Related Recipes
Have you tried these Coffee and Irish Cream Mini Bundt Cakes?
Please leave me a ⭐ rating below and let me know in the comments how you enjoyed them.
Coffee & Irish Cream Mini Bundt Cakes
Ingredients
Bundt Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg - beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream
- ¼ cup coffee - Strong coffee or instant coffee disolved in hot water.
- ¼ cup sour cream - full-fat
Coffee Frosting Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup butter - room temp
- 2 tablespoons coffee
- Gold sprinkles for garnish - optional
- Whole coffee beans for garnish - optional
Instructions
Bundt Cake Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spray a six-serving mini bundt cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients – flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Combine the sugar and canola oil with an electric mixer until well combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again until all ingredients are well combined.
- Add the Bailey’s and brewed coffee and mix until well combined.
- Mix in the dry ingredients on low to medium speed until smooth.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all the ingredients are combined.
- Add the sour cream and mix once more until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared mini bundt cake pan, filling each cavity to approximately ¾ full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking for doneness after 20 minutes to ensure they don’t overcook. If a toothpick inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean, they’re done.
- Cool the cakes in the pan for around 10-15 minutes, then flip the pan onto a wire cooling rack to cool the cakes.
Frosting Directions
- Cream the butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix slowly until just combined.
- Pour in the coffee and continue to mix slowly until combined.
- Increase the mixer speed and beat the frosting until fluffy.
- Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Pipe the frosting into the center of each bundt cake, filling the void and creating a swirl at the top.
- Garnish as you please. I like gold sprinkles and coffee beans.
Notes
- Coffee: If using Instant Coffee, Dissolve 3-4 teaspoons of instant coffee in 1 tablespoon of hot water for the cake. For the frosting, dissolve 1 heaped teaspoon of instant coffee in 2 tablespoons boiling water. Cool the coffee before using it.
- Flavor Variations: Add spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter for a warm flavor profile or orange zest for a fresh twist.
- Alcohol-Free Version: Use a non-alcoholic Irish cream syrup to achieve the taste of Baileys Irish Cream without the Alcohol content.
- Sour Cream: Use full-fat sour cream for a richer, moister cake texture. If you don’t have sour cream, full-fat Greek yogurt is fine.
- Mixing: Don’t overmix the batter once the flour is added; this can make the cakes too dense.
- Ingredients at Room Temperature: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature to achieve a smoother batter. Especially the butter in the frosting – room temperature, not melted.
- Cooling Times: Watch the cooling times. Let the cakes cool in the pan so they don’t fall apart for 15 minutes, as they may become soggy and stick if left too long.
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