Indulge in complete decadence with this Irish whiskey chocolate cake! Each layer of fluffy, moist chocolate cake is filled with a delicate, airy Baileys mousse and then covered in rich chocolate ganache frosting. This whiskey-flavored chocolate cake is one show-stopping dessert that will leave your guests wowed.

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Why You Need to Make This Recipe
Get ready to swoon. Sure, a basic chocolate cake is always delicious, but when you add a little Irish whiskey? It's the boozy chocolate dessert we all need in our lives.
After one bite, your toes will curl, and your eyes will slowly close as you take in that explosion of chocolate with complex whiskey notes. Don't be surprised when everyone hails you as the ultimate cake baker and asks you to make this treat for just about every get-together.
Fortunately, this chocolate dream is perfect for any occasion. Obviously, this makes a wonderful St. Patrick's Day cake, but we don't have to reserve it just for that holiday.
Have a whiskey lover in your life? This would be their perfect birthday cake. Looking for a chocolatey dessert for Christmas? You found it right here.
Make sure you keep this Irish whiskey chocolate cake recipe handy because it's a tried and trusted recipe you'll want to make over and over again.
Ingredients
If you've ever baked a homemade chocolate cake, these ingredients should look common to you. Of course, Irish whiskey is our signature flavor and different from your standard chocolate cake. For those who aren't big Irish whiskey drinkers, you can't go wrong using Jameson here.
I also like to use Hershey's Special Dark for the cocoa powder. This is a Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which I find produces a richer, more fudgy cake. Both natural and Dutch-processed cocoa powder work with this recipe, but I give the nod to the Dutch here.
You'll also noticed in the recipe card I specify dark brown sugar rather than light brown sugar. While you can substitute light brown sugar, the dark brown variety has more molasses. I love the deeper flavor it adds.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Before starting on our cake, we want to make the Baileys mousse and chocolate ganache frosting. My Baileys mousse is already detailed on the blog, so you can visit the link if you'd like step-by-step photos.
Make the Frosting
Let's move on to our frosting. Essentially, chocolate ganache frosting is simply chocolate ganache that has had time to cool and thicken, so it needs a little time to sit, which is why I like to start this recipe first.
Step 1: The process to make this frosting is as easy as it gets. We first add chopped chocolate to a bowl (photo 1).
Step 2: Meanwhile, we bring heavy cream to a simmer, pour it all over the chocolate and let the mixture sit for five minutes (photo 2).
Step 3: Now we stir the chocolate and cream. At first, it will look like a lot of heavy cream, and you might be worried that the mixture will never come together (photo 3). But keep stirring, and you will eventually get beautifully smooth ganache like so (photo 4).
Make the Cake
Step 1: To prepare our dry ingredients, we stir together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, the sugars, espresso powder and cocoa powder (photo 5).
Step 2: In the same bowl, we add our eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla (photo 6) and beat the mixture on medium speed for a couple minutes until it's shiny and smooth (photo 7).
Step 3: Now we stir in our Irish whiskey, but before we do that, we need to heat it up. With homemade chocolate cake, it's common to use a hot liquid, such as boiling water or freshly brewed coffee. Known as blooming, this helps dissolve the cocoa powder for more intense flavor, so we're doing the same thing here by heating our whiskey.
I like to take care of this step by heating the whiskey in the microwave. The exact time varies by microwave, but a minute or two should do the trick.
The whiskey will leave us with a thin batter, so don't fret. That's completely normal. See that thin drizzle (photo 8)?
Step 4: Now that our batter is prepared, we're ready to divide it among three 8-inch pans, bake and cool on wire racks (photo 9).
How to Assemble
Step 1: With our cake cooled, we’re ready to assemble. We place one cake layer on our serving tray and spread about half the Baileys mousse on top (photo 10).
As you can see from earlier photos, this gives us a larger layer of mousse, which I love. That said, you can use less if you want. There isn’t a right or wrong here — it all comes down to personal preference, so that’s why I don’t give an exact measurement.
Step 2: Now we place the second cake on top and repeat with the chocolate mousse. We then put the third layer on top of that, and now we’re ready to coat it with the chocolate ganache frosting (photo 11).
Step 3: By now, the chocolate ganache frosting should be nice and spreadable. It will continue to firm as it sits. If you’d like, you can even use some extra ganache to pipe little puffs on top for decoration.
And just like that, our cake is assembled, and we’re ready for one big slice of chocolate decadence.
Recipe FAQs
Because of the mousse filling, I recommend keeping the cake refrigerated. That said, the cake is best served at room temperature.
The chill from refrigerating dilutes the flavor a bit, but simply allowing the cake to sit for about 20 minutes in room temperature before serving is all we need to enjoy that chocolatey goodness in each bite. Of course, I have eaten this cake straight out of the refrigerator and enjoyed it, but you'll love it even more if you give it a chance to come down in temperature.
I think chocolate cake is at its best when fresh, so I try to bake it within a day of serving. However, this cake is moist enough that it will still be great for a good three to four days. After that, the mousse may start to lose its structure.
Expert Tips
- If you'd like, you can make the Baileys mousse the day before the cake. This is what I do as I prefer to divide up the processes.
- When measuring your flour, cocoa powder and sugar, do not scoop your measuring cup. Instead, spoon the ingredients into your measuring cup and use a butter knife to level. Scooping results in overpacking.
- The batter will taste heavy on the Irish whiskey and have a bite, but once it bakes, that bite will disappear, and you'll just be left with delicious whiskey flavor. So don't panic if it tastes too strong in batter form.
- If you forget to set your eggs out in room temperature, you can speed up the process by placing the eggs in warm -- not hot -- water for about 10 minutes.
- While I highly recommend the Baileys mousse as a filling, you can also use the chocolate ganache between layers instead if you're short on time. I've made this cake with just chocolate ganache, and it was fabulous that way as well.
- Make sure to check the expiration dates on your baking soda and baking powder. You absolutely must replace them if they're expired.
- Do not open the oven door before you're ready to test the cake's doneness. This can leave you with a sunken middle.
Perfect Pairing
Imperial stouts are so delicious with whiskey that they're often aged in whiskey barrels. So it only makes sense that an imperial stout would be perfect with this cake. Because imperial stouts have a high ABV, they tend to show off some residual sweetness that makes them great with desserts. A Baltic porter is also a lovely option with any kind of chocolate sweet.
For a wine, a port is always wonderful with chocolate cake. The two are a classic pairing, and you can't go wrong here.
Or maybe you're craving a festive cocktail — my Baileys chocolate martini is as perfect as it gets. You'll also love my Irish mule, Baileys Irish coffee martini or Irish whiskey smash. This espresso martini from Texanerin Baking is another delightful option.
When not just any cake will do, I hope you try this Irish whiskey chocolate cake. You will love every indulgent bite.
Cheers!
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📖 Recipe
Irish Whiskey Chocolate Cake With Baileys Mousse
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
- Parchment paper
- Wire racks
Ingredients
Baileys Mousse
- 8 ounces semi-sweet or 70% bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 3 eggs separated
- 4 tablespoons white sugar divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 1 pound semi-sweet or 70% bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
Irish Whiskey Chocolate Cake
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ cups white sugar spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup cocoa powder spooned and leveled, preferably the special dark type
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk shaken before measuring
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
- 1 cup Irish whiskey
Instructions
Baileys Mousse
- Add chopped chocolate, butter and espresso powder to a heat-resistant bowl and place over pot of simmering water. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. Check the water to make sure it's just a simmer and not boiling. If it boils, turn down heat. Add one yolk at a time and stir until well combined in the melted chocolate and the mixture is smooth.
- In another bowl, add the egg whites and 2 tablespoons sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- In a third bowl, beat the heavy cream, Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until it becomes the consistency of whipped cream.
- Gently fold in the egg whites into the chocolate until combined. Then, fold in the Baileys whipped cream. Cover in an airtight container and chill until set, about one to two hours. You can also make this the day before baking the cake if you'd like to divide up steps.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Place the chopped chocolate in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it simmers, turn off heat and pour over the chocolate. Let the chocolate sit for five minutes.
- Stir the chocolate and cream until the chocolate becomes smooth. Set aside in room temperature to allow to thicken and give it a stir every so often. By the time you're ready to frost the cake, it should be a spreadable consistency.
Irish Whiskey Chocolate Cake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. For the proper parchment paper size, trace the cake pan on parchment paper and then cut out the circle. Set prepared pans aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, dark brown sugar, espresso powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder until combined.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed for two minutes.
- Heat the Irish whiskey in a microwave until hot, about a minute or two, depending on how powerful your microwave is. Stir in the Irish whiskey into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thin with a strong Irish whiskey flavor.
- Pour the batter evenly among the three pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 23-25 minutes. Remove from oven. Allow the cakes to sit for 10 minutes in the pans. Run a butter knife along the side of the cake pans to help loosen the cake and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Place one cake on your serving platter. Spread half the Baileys mousse on top. Place the second cake on top and spread with the other half the Baileys mousse. Add the remaining cake on top and then frost with the chocolate ganache frosting. Enjoy!
Notes
- For baking at 5,200 feet altitude, I used ⅞ teaspoon baking soda, ⅞ teaspoon baking powder and 2 additional tablespoons buttermilk. Those are the only adjustments I made.
- Do not scoop your flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Spoon the ingredients into your measuring cup and use a butter knife to level. Scooping results in overpacking.
- If you forget to set your eggs out in room temperature, you can speed up the process by placing the eggs in warm -- not hot -- water for about 10 minutes.
- Make sure to check the expiration dates on your baking soda and baking powder. You must replace them if they're expired.
- Do not open the oven door before you're ready to test the cake's doneness. This can leave you with a sunken middle.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Sigrid says
Can I make this the night before and refrigerate it- taking it out 30 minutes before serving? I would like to make it for New Year's Eve. It sounds absolutely delicious....
Thank you for your reply...
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Absolutely! I made this the day before for a St. Patrick's Day party, and it's still super fresh tasting.
Sigrid says
You saved the day with your reply that I can make it a day in advance......Thank you and I can't wait for the outcome!
Je says
Last time I tried a mousse filling the cake was too heavy and the mousse oozed out of the layers. Is this cake light enough and/or the mousse stiff enough to hold up? Look delicious!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Hey there! I've used this chocolate cake with this mousse or a variation (just a different flavor) many times and haven't had trouble with it oozing out. When you used another mousse as a filling, did the mousse set in the refrigerator first? I could see that being a problem if it isn't fully set. I think this particular mousse has pretty good structure once set, and maybe the mousse you used was a bit thinner. What's your timeline for baking? I'd definitely make sure to take care of the mousse first to make sure it has time to set in the refrigerator.
Sigrid says
Wow! Wonder what I did wrong but it was way too much ganache for this size cake?
Also, I refigerated the mousse for two hours but it oozed out of the layers. A disaster that went Into masson jars with a dap of vanilla ice cream and a bit of Bailey's to top it off. Very delicious though.....!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
So the amount of ganache may just be a personal preference thing, but I always like to make sure I have plenty on hand because I’d rather have too much ganache than not enough, and I end up using most of it. I’m sorry about the mousse! It sounds like maybe it wasn’t quite set and needed a little more time. I’m so sorry about that, but I’m glad it’s delicious! I would think it wouldn’t have all oozed out, so I’m hoping you still have some in the layers.
Melissa J says
This cake was AMAZING!!! Thank you
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You’re so welcome, Melissa!
Theo says
This looks delicious! I have to try and will add some spicy pears. 🙂 How must i change the recipe, if i want 4 layers of cake to make it a little higher?
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Hi there! So I have not tested this with a smaller cake pan for a four-layer cake, but I have made similar chocolate cakes as a two-layer cake. While I haven’t tried this, you could try making two layers and slicing them in the middle. For a two-layer cake, I’d use a 9-inch cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. And here’s a good tutorial for slicing the cake layers if you need it.
Tammy says
Ohh my gosh this looks so light and heavenly! The frosting is like mousse...what a gorgeous cake. Definitely need to make this next occasion!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I hope you do! I think you'll be happy you did.
Addison says
I love a rich and intense chocolate cake! I love that you added whiskey. Such a depth of flavor!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I just love the flavor whiskey adds to any dessert!
Adriana Lopez says
I saw this posted on Instagram and loved it had to try it at home and baked it, I have to say this is now my favorite cake.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I'm so happy you loved it!
amycaseycooks says
You had me at Bailys mousse! I can’t wait to give this beautiful chocolate cake a try.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It adds such a luxurious touch!
Veronika says
This cake looks amazing! I need to make it for my hubby. He will love the additional boozy flavors 😉
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I bet you both will love it!
Kathryn says
This Irish Whiskey Chocolate Cake was so amazing and moist! I made this for St. Patrick's Day and we loved it! Thank you for the easy directions and I will be making this again. The frosting was absolutely delicious as well 🙂
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Yay! You are so welcome, and I'm glad it was a hit!
Aleta says
GAH you and your boozy chocolatey goodies! You have me hooked Amanda, another recipe that my husband and I just can't get enough of. Such an amazing combination with the chocolate, Irish whisky and bailey's mousse!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Aww, thanks so much, Aleta! I'm glad it was another hit!
Silvia says
I don't know what I liked more, if the chocolate cake itself or the baileys mousse! My husband is a huge chocolate fan, and this cake fills all the boxes.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
They're both so good together! Happy y'all enjoyed it.
Marta says
I had to make sure my whiskey and Bailey's weren't bad before I started. Thankfully, both were safe and I made this decadent chocolate cake with fantastic results!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
So glad to hear that, Marta!
FOODHEAL says
Mmmh, I love those layers. I like the bold dark chocolate and then the creamy mousse is promising to be comforting and rich with flavors.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It's a delight!
Newbie In The Kitchen says
I'm absolutely drooling at this cake recipe! I think the combo of the cake and frosting flavors is just amazing and it's on my list to make! What a great celebration cake to make for Easter 🙂
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I hope you love it! We certainly enjoyed it.