If you are looking for a surefire hit dessert to serve at your St. Patrick’s Day Party or anytime you want a sophisticated cupcake with grown-up appeal, this is it!  Tucked into the center of each Irish Cream liqueur flavored cake is a dark chocolate truffle, then it’s all topped with a decadent Irish Cream flavored buttercream icing.

This recipe uses a cake mix as its base, then dresses it up so nobody will ever guess.  Cocoa coated dark chocolate truffles are relatively easy find.  If you’re lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s store nearby, they  usually stock them.  If you can’t find truffles you can always make them from scratch, or simply leave them out — the cupcakes are still delicious without truffles (in this case the yield will be 24 and you should fill each 3/4 full).

Makes 32 Cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 packages (18.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup Irish Cream liqueur, such as Bailey’s or Carolans
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
32 cocoa coated dark chocolate truffles

Icing
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3/8 cup Irish cream
5  1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
Chocolate shavings for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 32 cupcake cups with paper liners.  Set aside.

Place cake  mix, pudding mix, oil, milk, liqueur, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Beat ingredients together with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, scrape bowl, and beat on high for another minute, scraping sides of bowl as needed.  Fill each prepared cup about 1/2 full.   Place a single dark chocolate truffle in the center of each cup and gently press down with your finger in order to submerge it in the batter.  Don’t worry if some truffle is still poking out, the batter will encase the truffles during baking.

Bake the cake for about 18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean (be careul to insert cake tester in such a way so it doesn’t hit the truffle).  Another way to tell the cakes are done is to lightly press top of cake with your finger, if cakes spring back, they are done.  Let cool completely before frosting.

Prepare Icing:
Beat room temperature butter with an electric mixer, scraping down bowl as necessary, until soft and fluffy.  Beat in liqueur until completely combined.  Slowly beat in confectioner’s sugar, a cup at a time.  Add more liqueur, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary to achieve a smooth spreadable consistency.  Spread each cupcake with a generous topping of frosting.  If desired, top with dark chocolate shavings.

To make Chocolate Shavings:
It’s easy to make chocolate shavings, all you need is a vegetable peeler.  Pull the peeler firmly across a bar of white, milk, or dark chocolate and watch the curl appear.  You will get different styles of curls, depending on the temperature of the chocolate.  Softer chocolate will produce big fat curls.  Cold chocolate will make small straight chocolate gratings.  Experiment for a look you like.

To Freeze:
Freeze frosted cupcakes in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Once frozen, stack between layers of waxed paper in a large lidded freezer container, or large plastic freezer storage bags.  Bring to room temperature, about 20 minutes, and enjoy.