When it comes to serving dessert at a cocktail party or get together, these easy-to-make Bailey’s Red Velvet Cupcakes are a hit, with just a little punch of Bailey’s Red Velvet Cupcake liqueur for good measure.
»You should try these Strawberry & Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Sticks or a Red Velvet Mug Cake.
If you haven’t tried Bailey’s Red Velvet Cupcake liqueur, it’s definitely worth buying a bottle even if you only use it for baking. Their signature red velvet cupcake flavoring is added to Irish cream and it tastes just like a cupcake in a glass.
After buying a bottle, and drinking a few glasses over ice, I started wondering what I could make with it. That’s how I found this Bailey’s Red Velvet Cupcake recipe. They’re the perfect cupcakes to make for Valentine’s Day or a grown up’s Christmas party. Yay for red, boozy cupcakes!
If you can’t find Bailey’s Red Velvet Cupcake liqueur, you can also use the original, or they have a Chocolate Lux flavor that’s pretty amazing in this recipe too.
Ingredients You Need
Baking recipes always seem to have a ton of ingredients, don’t they? Well, at least this one has mostly things that you probably already have on hand.
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – it’s easiest to work with the butter at room temperature, so be sure to take it out of the refrigerator in advance.
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Red food coloring – A good food coloring gel will make the brightest red color without having to use a ton of coloring.
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder – I use Dutch processed cocoa
- Whole milk – also best at room temperature
- Baking soda
- Apple cider vinegar
- Baileys Red Velvet liqueur – If you can’t find Bailey’s Red Velvet Cupcake liqueur, you can also use the original, or they have a Chocolate Lux flavor that’s pretty amazing in this recipe too.
- Cream cheese – this is for the frosting, which is a sweet cream cheese frosting that’s easy to whip up.
- Confectioners’ sugar – also for the frosting.
How to Make Bailey’s Red Velvet Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a standard cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Sift together the flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held electric mixer). Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
Add the egg and beat on low. Add the red food coloring, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder to the bowl. Mix on low until blended.
Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and slowly pour in half the milk, beating until well incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the rest of the flour and milk. Beat just until fully combined.
In a small bowl, mix together the apple cider vinegar and baking soda until dissolved. Add to the batter and mix in on low speed, until fully incorporated.
Finally, add the Baileys Red Velvet and mix until smooth.
Fill each well of the cupcake pan with the batter to two-thirds full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
For the frosting
Place the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held electric mixer). Beat on medium speed to combine. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated.
Then beat on high speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the Baileys Red Velvet and mix on low speed until mixed in, then beat on high speed for an additional minute.
Transfer the frosting to a plastic piping bag fitted with a plain round metal tip and frost each cupcake.
★ Order this and many other liquors from Saucey and have it delivered to your door! Plus get $5 OFF your first order + free delivery with code DRINK5)
Bailey's Red Velvet Cupcakes
When it comes to serving dessert at a cocktail party or get together, these Bailey's Red Velvet Cupcakes are a hit, with just a little punch of Bailey's Red Velvet Cupcake liqueur for good measure.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 160g
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 oz unsalted butter (at room temperature), 85g
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp red food coloring
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 tbsp sifted cocoa powder
- 3/4 cups whole milk (room temperature)
- 3/4 tsp sifted baking soda
- 3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Baileys Red Velvet liqueur
For the frosting:
- 4 oz unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tbsp Baileys Red Velvet liqueur
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a standard cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Sift together the flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held electric mixer). Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
- Add the egg and beat on low. Add the red food coloring, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder to the bowl. Mix on low until blended.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and slowly pour in half the milk, beating until well incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the rest of the flour and milk. Beat just until fully combined.
- In a small bowl, mix together the apple cider vinegar and baking soda until dissolved. Add to the batter and mix in on low speed, until fully incorporated.
- Finally, add the Baileys Red Velvet and mix until smooth.
- Fill each well of the cupcake pan with the batter to two-thirds full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
- For the frosting
- Place the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held electric mixer). Beat on medium speed to combine. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated.
- Then beat on high speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the Baileys Red Velvet and mix on low speed until mixed in, then beat on high speed for an additional minute.
- Transfer the frosting to a plastic piping bag fitted with a plain round metal tip and frost each cupcake.
Pin it for later!
Laura is the founder and editor of the travel blogs Savored Sips and Savored Journeys. She is dedicated to sharing the best information about drinks found around the world.
Oh my deliciousness ! These red velvet cupcakes are addictive.
These would be perfect for Valentine’s Day! Definitely going to try them.
Red velvet cupcakes are my sister in laws FAVORITE so these cupcakes are perfect! Her birthday is next month so this came at the perfect time!
My kids and I used to purchase red velvet cupcakes at the bakery but not anymore. This recipe is just perfect, so easy to follow too.
Yummy! These cupcakes are so delicious! My hubby and I love them so much. I’ll definitely make these again very soon!
What a fun twist on traditional red velvet!