Irish Cream Poundcake
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:8 servings
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
- 1⅔cups/215 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
- ⅔cup/145 grams light brown sugar
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- 4large eggs, at room temperature
- 1¼teaspoons baking powder
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½cup/120 milliliters Irish cream
- 1¼cups/155 grams confectioners’ sugar
- 3tablespoons Irish cream, plus more as needed
For the Cake
For the Glaze
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
617 calories; 31 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 75 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 53 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 268 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray, then dust with flour.
- Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on low until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the Irish cream and mix on low to combine, 15 seconds more.
- Step 4
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Bake until the surface of the cake is lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Step 5
Make the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar and Irish cream together in a medium bowl to form a thick glaze. Spoon the glaze over the surface of the loaf, letting the excess drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
WBJ
Pantry was bare, so I substituted air for all the other ingredients and just poured a glass of Irish cream for me and dreamed about the cake.
amovino
Mix 1/4-1/2 cup Irish whiskey with a couple tablespoons of sugar. Heat on stove to dissolve sugar. When cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in the cake with a long toothpick or bamboo skewer. Pour the hot whiskey syrup ove the cake. Let cool about 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. Also, I used whiskey (didn’t have Irish cream) in the glaze, which made it quite boozy tasting.
Noah
Yes. I reduced both sugars in the batter by half, added 25 grams of plain yogurt, and an extra egg. Icing per recipe. Result: nice moist crumb.
Nick
Yes, serve it with a shot of irish cream on the side, or better yet serve it with a fifth on the side!
Gwen
Dear Amy: A trick I learned in a baking class: grease your pans with butter (or you could use Crisco)--bottom and sides, place a "cut to fit" piece of parchment paper into the pan over the butter (and up the sides), then butter the parchment paper. Your quick bread loaf or cake will come out fo the pan with professional results!
Jacci
IMHO - Don't waste your time with Bailey's - Five Farms Irish Crème is so much better - it is a single batch Irish Crème from County Cork, Ireland and the focus is more on the whiskey than the over-sweetened crème that is the focus of Baileys.
Meredith
I made this last night and found a few truths: 1. You must use a metal tin. Glass takes longer to bake and you'll run until burning issues. 2. Follow the call for 9" pan (unless you're really good at adjusting bake time/temperature) 3. Make sure you ingredients are all room temperature. It makes a difference because cold ingredients change the temperature of the batter and can incorporate differently. 4. Plan to tent the cake with tin foil at some point while baking
Kwikwit
Regina- I have same issue due to wonky oven. I use instant thermometer to check doneness for pound cakes and loafs - they’re done when thermometer hits 210F
Lynne
Think this could be made in a bundt pan? has anyone tried that?
Birdie
Amazing. Came out absolutely perfect. Would be really good with some pecans in the icing for a little crunch.
CatPerson
I am not an Irish whisky or Scotch fan, so I just made my own Kentucky Cream using a Smitten Kitchen recipe for homemade Irish cream, substituting Bourbon for the Irish whisky. Even better, I always have a bottle of homemade spiced bourbon on hand, which has cinnamon sticks, cloves, a shattered nutmeg, and a vanilla bean in it. DELICIOUS and I plan to make the pound cake with it this afternoon.
Jenn
Baked at 350 for 45 minutes, and down to 320 for 5 minutes. Came out perfectly! For glaze, I added an additional 2 tablespoons of irish cream to make it less viscous.
Michele
Of course you can make this with a hand mixer but you'll have to make a few adjustments to reflect the fact that a hand mixer is not as powerful or fast as a stand mixer. Medium speed on a stand mixer = high speed on a hand mixer. And, you may have to mix for longer than 4-5 minutes.
Heather
Looks delicious! Is it okay to make this with a hand mixer using standard whisk attachments, or would this botch the consistency? Thank you.
Laura
Just made this, following the recipe exactly, and it is a PERFECT pound cake - light, moist, and the whiskey flavor is present but not overpowering. Fantastic. Thank you!
GinnyinGeorgia
Made this for St. P's Day, 2024 and it was superb! The only changes I made were done for health's sake, but think it may have been a benefit because the cake was moist and tender on the first day. I used one stick of real butter and one stick of plant butter. We had a bottle of Kirkland brand Irish Cream on hand, so used that (not Bailey's). I didn't have a 9" loaf pan so used a smallish, nonstick bundt pan which was slathered w/ margarine but was mistake-the cake stuck badly.
Erin
I overbaked this a smidge (that’s on me, not the recipe), so the ends are a bit dry. The center pieces are moist with a caramelly flavor and good texture. I made ice cream with the rest of the bottle of Five Farms, so that offset the dryness of the end bits. Next time, I’d bake this with the shorter suggested baking time.
Susanna
With the Irish cream glaze, this was way too sweet. We could barely taste anything except for the powdered sugar. I made the pound cake a second time a few days later and used orange juice for the glaze. Amazing combo, the flavors were perfect together!
MSG
I thought this was just ok. Like another reader I used mini muffin tins and baked for 16 minutes, but was disappointed in the depth of flavor in both the cake and the frosting. On the fence as to whether I would make for this again.
Anne
Made this per the recipe to try it for a Patricks dinner next week. On the fence when we tried it after it had cooled- somewhat dry and the Baileys was a bit overpowering. Per comments, wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap. Tried it the next day and it was fabulous. Bailey's flavor mellowed a bit, cake moistened up and was what a pound cake texture should be. Did not put on the glaze, as I was more interested at the cake by itself. Will definitely make it a day or two ahead of the dinner!
alejandra
Funny thing, I’m easily distracted. First time I baked the cake I thought the recipe called for equal amounts of dark and light brown sugar. So that measurement was doubled. I sent wrapped slices off with my boyfriend to take to work , and his coworkers loved it: I haven’t dared to repeat that mistake. I can’t help but notice it had a nice texture, something resembling a blondie or moist cake. This recipe was an excellent use of a large Kirkland brand Irish Cream bottle.
TBB
Didn't have Irish Cream on hand, so I used Amarula. Tastes fabulous. I could probably get away with just making the icing and give the bowl to my wife- she'd be very happy.
Marti
I found the cake a bit dry but the flavor was great. Next time I will do what someone suggested and make a syrup with the Irish cream and some sugar and pour it over the cake after poking holes.
Robin
Well this was a conundrum for me. I followed the recipe exactly using a 9” loaf pan. Using a convection oven, as usual I set the temperature down 25 degrees and set the timer for 15 minutes less, 45 minutes. Although the cake was very brown, the top was very jiggly. I put foil on the top and put it back in the oven. I ended up cooking it for an hour and 20 minutes. The top was still soft when I took it out of the even and it sank quite a bit as it cooled. Rather dense and dry.
Robin
After sitting over night at room temperature wrapped in foil, the cake moistened up a lot. And the center that sank way down wasn’t gooey at all. Was much better the next day. Would make again, maybe next time not on convection setting
Robin
I’d like to try this again, using Grand Mariner or Chambord instead of Irish Cream.
VICKI
Made the cake as written. Beautiful crumb Light and fluffy. Made in a 9-cup bundt pan. Perfect.
Robin
I’m curious about the “light and fluffy” part because pound cake is normally pretty dense, was it the cooking it in a Bundt pan instead of a loaf pan? How long did you cook it?
cheching
I received an enormous bottle of Baileys for my house warming, so I’ve made this cake many many many times - and I’m still not sick of it! It’s wonderfully moist, and the flavour of the Irish cream definitely comes through. This cake is quite caloric though, so I make it into 24 cupcakes to help with portion control. I also increase the Irish cream in the glaze to 4 tbsps to make it more spreadable.
lmcl
I think it’s odd the Irish cream goes in after the flour- did anyone change this order and put it in with the other wet ingredients?
Michael
Added a little whiskey to glaze.
augusta
I tried this in a castle-shaped Nordic ware pan that I have dodged using, after reading all the notes and a couple of Bundt pan cookbooks and checking websites. I used a commercial product to prepare the pan, as it’s quite convoluted. The cake mixed up beautifully and rose right to the top of the pan. Did watch the oven; it was done in less than 45 minutes. Unmolded beautifully. Thinned the glaze a bit with unmodified cream, as I wanted the pretty architectural details visible. Lovely!
PattK
This cake was delicious, but I was disappointed that the flavor of the Irish Cream didn't come through. I used Five Farms Irish Cream along with Kerrygold butter, but the pound cake just tasted like ... well, a good pound cake. Any ideas on how to amplify the Irish Cream flavor short of poking holes in the baked cake and pouring a thinned glaze over the cake??
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