Irish Red Velvet Cake is as cheery as a wee leprechaun’s cheeks and as fiery as his beard. The crimson batter contains a dusting of cocoa and is bound with buttermilk – both characteristics of a traditional Red Velvet Cake, popular in the American South. But a few glugs of O’Hara’s Irish Red Ale gives this otherwise ordinary cake Celtic edge.
Makes one 6″ triple layer cake or one 8″ layer cake.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 1 layer cake | 1 hour |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 25-35 minutes | 30 minutes |
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Irish Red Velvet Cake is as cheery as a wee leprechaun’s cheeks and as fiery as his beard. The crimson batter contains a dusting of cocoa and is bound with buttermilk – both characteristics of a traditional Red Velvet Cake, popular in the American South. But a few glugs of O’Hara’s Irish Red Ale gives this otherwise ordinary cake Celtic edge.
Makes one 6″ triple layer cake or one 8″ layer cake.
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ounce red food coloring
- 1/2 cup O’Hara’s Irish Red Ale
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
For the Bailey’s Buttercream
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter , softened (3 sticks)
- 14 ounces powdered sugar , sifted
- 2-4 Tablespoons Bailey’s
Servings: layer cake
Units:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Prepare cake pans by greasing and lining with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and cocoa together and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add the red food coloring, O’Hara’s Irish Red, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar.
- In large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and then beat in the wet ingredients and the eggs. Beat smooth and pour into prepared cake pans.
- Bake 6″ cakes for 25-30 minutes, or 8″ cakes for 30-35 minutes
For the Bailey’s Buttercream
- Let the cake cool completely. Meanwhile, beat the softened butter in a stand mixer on high speed until fluffy. Reduce speed and slowly incorporate the powdered sugar. When well-combined increase the speed and beat well for up to 10 minutes adding in enough Bailey’s to make the buttercream loose and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
To assemble:
- Assemble the layers by placing a thick layer of buttercream between them as “glue.” Use 1/3 remaining buttercream to create a crumb coating, spreading thinly all over the cake. Chill 30 minutes, then spread remaining buttercream over the cake. Enjoy!