Baileys Poke Cake
A make-ahead Baileys poke cake: chocolate fudge cake baked with Irish cream in the batter, poked while warm and soaked with a Baileys, chocolate and condensed milk filling, then chilled and topped with cocoa whipped cream and grated dark chocolate. Feeds twelve and is better on the second day.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix 15.25 ounces, or devil's food
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or the amount on the box
- 1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream in place of half a cup of the water
- 3 large eggs or the number on the box
- 1/2 cup water the box amount less the half cup replaced by Baileys
Baileys Chocolate Filling
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk one can
- 1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream
Cocoa Whipped Cream and Topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream very cold
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 2 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
- 2 oz dark chocolate grated, for the top, or mini chocolate chips
Equipment
- 9x13-inch Baking Pan
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Microwave-safe bowl
- wooden spoon (for poking)
- Spatula
Instructions
Bake the Cake
- Mix and bake. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Make the batter as the box directs, replacing half a cup of the water with the Baileys. Pour it into the dish and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Poke the holes. With the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the warm cake about an inch apart, going two-thirds of the way down but not to the bottom.
Fill and Soak
- Make the filling. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Whisk in the condensed milk and the Baileys until glossy and pourable.
- Pour it over. Pour the filling slowly over the whole cake while the cake is still warm.
- Spread into the holes. Spread the filling to the edges with a spatula and nudge it down into the holes.
- Chill until set. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the filling no longer looks wet and a fingertip comes away clean.
Top and Chill
- Whip the cream. In a chilled bowl, whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar, cocoa and Baileys until it holds stiff peaks, 3 to 4 minutes with a hand mixer.
- Top the cake. Dollop the whipped cream over the chilled cake and spread it to the edges.
- Finish and chill. Grate the dark chocolate over the top, then refrigerate for another 1 to 2 hours, or overnight, before cutting into 12 squares.
Notes
Pictured: finished with about 2 ounces of dark chocolate grated over the whipped topping. Mini chocolate chips, chocolate curls or sprinkles work the same way.
Make ahead: bake, poke, fill and chill up to 2 days ahead, then add the topping the day you serve it or the night before. Once topped it keeps 2 to 3 days. The total time includes about 2 hours of chilling; overnight is better.
Storage: keep covered in the fridge and eat within 4 to 5 days. Freeze cut squares, wrapped, for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Alcohol-free: replace the Baileys everywhere with Irish cream coffee creamer, or half and half with a teaspoon of vanilla. The cake, filling and topping behave the same way.
Doneness: the cake is baked when a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs; the filling is set when a fingertip comes away clean; the finished cake cuts with a clean edge after 2 to 3 hours of chilling.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 850IU | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 2.5mg