This Air Fryer Bailey’s Cake is soft, moist, and infused with the rich flavor of Bailey’s Irish Cream. Quick to prepare and easy to bake in the air fryer, it’s a decadent dessert perfect for any occasion.
Air Fryer Bailey’s Cake is a rich, cozy dessert that feels fancy without the extra work.
Made with smooth Bailey’s Irish Cream and baked right in the air fryer, this cake turns out moist, tender, and full of flavor, perfect for holidays, dinner parties, or when you just want a grown-up treat without turning on the oven.
Why You Will Love This Recipe!
- Bakes perfectly in the air fryer: No oven needed, which means faster baking and less heat in the kitchen.
- Rich Bailey’s flavor: The Irish cream adds a smooth, cozy depth you can’t get from a basic cake.
- Moist and tender texture: This cake stays soft and fluffy, not dry or crumbly.
- Easy, no-fuss dessert: Simple ingredients and minimal prep make it stress-free.
- Perfect for special occasions: Great for holidays, dinner parties, or a treat-yourself moment with coffee.
Ingredients Needed
- Chocolate Cake Mix: boxed chocolate cake mix for rich, moist cake
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: semi-sweet chocolate chips for extra chocolate flavor
- Water: water to mix and create smooth cake batter
- Vegetable Oil: vegetable oil to keep cake moist and tender
- Eggs: eggs to bind ingredients and add structure
- Butter Flavoring: butter flavoring to boost rich buttery taste
- Vanilla Flavoring: vanilla flavoring for warm, classic sweetness
- Butter: butter for creamy frosting texture and flavor
- Vegetable Shortening: vegetable shortening for smooth, stable frosting
- Powdered Sugar: powdered sugar to sweeten and thicken frosting
- Bailey’s Irish Cream: Bailey’s Irish Cream for smooth, boozy flavor
Recipe Variations
- Non-Alcoholic Version: Swap the Bailey’s Irish Cream with heavy cream or Irish cream–flavored coffee creamer for the same richness without the alcohol.
- Chocolate Lover’s Cake: Add extra semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips to the batter for even more chocolate in every bite.
- Mocha Bailey’s Cake: Replace part of the water with cooled brewed coffee to bring out a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Mint Chocolate Twist: Add a few drops of peppermint extract to the frosting for a festive, bakery-style finish.
- Bundt-Style Cake: Bake the cake in a small air fryer–safe Bundt pan for a more elegant presentation.
How To Make Air Fryer Bailey’s Cake
Step One: Lightly coat two 6-inch round pans with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil, flavorings, and eggs, mixing just until smooth, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Step Two: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Place one pan into the air fryer, set the temperature to 320°F, and cook for 15–20 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center—it should come out clean.
Step Three: Let the cakes cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4–6 hours, or overnight for best results.
Step Four: Once the cake layers are fully frozen, make the buttercream frosting. Beat the butter and shortening until smooth, then add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing well and adding one tablespoon of Bailey’s with each addition. After all the sugar is incorporated, add more Bailey’s a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable but not thin. Remove the cake layers from the freezer.
Step Five: Place a cake board on a turntable, spread a small amount of frosting in the center, and set the first frozen cake layer on top to secure it in place.
Step Six: Add a generous scoop of buttercream to the center of the first cake layer and spread it evenly. Unwrap the second frozen layer and place it on top. When frosting chocolate cakes, always apply icing to the frosting, not directly onto the cake, to keep crumbs under control.
Step Seven: Use the first scoop of frosting as your base and rotate the cake on the turntable, icing all the way around. Don’t worry about perfection at this stage. Once the cake is chilled, run a cake comb around the sides to create a spiral design and scrape away any extra frosting.
Step Eight: Return any leftover frosting to the bowl, making sure it’s free of crumbs. Fit a piping bag with a 1M tip and fill it with the frosting. Pour the Baileys chocolate ganache into a separate piping bag with a small cut at the tip and pipe drips around the edge of the cake, letting them set for 3–4 minutes. Pipe four rosettes at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions, then fill in the gaps with additional rosettes.
Air Fryer Bailey’s Cake Recipe Tips
- Use frozen layers: Freezing the cake layers before frosting helps prevent crumbs and keeps the frosting smooth.
- Room temperature ingredients: Make sure butter and shortening are at room temperature for easy, creamy frosting.
- Don’t overmix: When folding in chocolate chips, mix gently to avoid breaking the cake structure.
- Air fryer size matters: Check your air fryer’s dimensions; use smaller pans if needed and adjust cooking times slightly.
- Ganache consistency: Ensure your Bailey’s chocolate ganache is pourable but not too thin, so drips hold their shape.
Storing Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store the frosted cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the frosted or unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Serving tip: For the best flavor, let refrigerated or thawed cake sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before slicing.
Oven Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Prepare two 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting or freezing.
Air Fryer Bailey’s Cake Recipe Faqs
Can I make this cake without an air fryer? Yes! Follow the oven instructions above for a perfect bake.
How long can I store this cake? Frosted cake can be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen up to 2 months.
Can I use a different alcohol instead of Bailey’s? Absolutely. Irish cream liqueur or a coffee-flavored liqueur works well, or skip alcohol for a kid-friendly version.
Do I have to freeze the layers before frosting? Freezing helps prevent crumbs and makes frosting easier, but it’s optional if you’re careful when spreading the buttercream.
Can I make this cake in a larger pan? Yes, but adjust baking time accordingly and check for doneness with a toothpick.
More Air Fryer Cake Recipes
- AIR FRYER BLUEBERRY CUPCAKES
- AIR FRYER CAKE POPS
- BEST AIR FRYER MUG CAKE RECIPES FOR A SUPER EASY TREAT
- AIR FRYER WALNUT CAKE
- AIR FRYER PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE FOR TWO
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Air Fryer Bailey’s Cake
Description
Ingredients
Cake:
- 15 ounces chocolate cake mix
- 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon butter flavoring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Bailey's Buttercream:
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream, If you don’t want the icing too spiked used 3 tbsp baileys and then add heavy cream to get it to the right consistency
Instructions
- Spray two 6 inch rounds with nonstick spray. Add cake mix, water, oil, flavorings, and eggs to a bowl. Mix until incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Evenly distribute between the two cake pans, set one of the pans into the air fryer, set the temperature to 320 degrees F air fryer, and set the time for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick, skewer or knife comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for a minimum of 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
- After the cake is fully frozen, prepare the buttercream. Cream butter and shortening until smooth. Add a cup of powdered sugar at a time, alternating adding a tablespoon of Baileys to each cup of powdered sugar. Mix after each addition. After all of the sugar is added, add Baileys by the tablespoon to make it smooth and easy to spread on acake. It should not be runny. Retrieve cake layers from the freezer.
- Place cake board on a turntable. Add a small amount of icing to the cake board and set the first wrapped, frozen layer onto the cake board.
- Add a heaping amount of buttercream to the center and smooth it out. Unwrap the second layer and place it on top. When decorating a cake, especially cocoa powder, always ice the icing, not the cake!
- The first glob of icing will be the only one that touches the cake as you spin the cake on the turntable, ice the cake all the way around. It does not need to be smooth or perfect. After the cake is chilled, use the cake comb to create the cake's spiral pattern and remove excess frosting.
- Place extra frosting back into the bowl; there should be no crumbs in the icing.Fit a piping bag with a tip 1M, add the leftover icing to the piping bag, and set to the site.Add the Baileys chocolate ganache to a piping bag in a pourable consistency. Cut a small hole at the tip of the bag and pipe a series of drips around the cake. Let set for 3-4 mins. Pipe 4 rosettes at the 12, 3, 6 & 9 o’clock points on the top of the cake.Add a rosette in between those.
- Plate, serve, and enjoy!
Equipment
- Baking Pan, I used 2 6 inch cake pans
- Cooking Spray
- Cake Circles or Cake Board
- Piping Bags
- Tip 1M
Notes
Oven Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Prepare two 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting or freezing.Nutrition
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