Irish Cream Cupcakes with Pistachio Swiss Meringue

Irish Cream Cupcakes with Pistachio Swiss Meringue are a beautiful spring treat. This classy recipe is perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day or Easter or any other “just because” occasion. Impress everyone and watch them fight over the first and last cupcake crumbs. 

Plan: Irish Cream Cupcakes with Pistachio Swiss Meringue for a pre-party house-party for Chicago’s celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Impress new friends and make even newer friends with the deliciousness and beauty and classy-ness of said cupcakes.

Execution: 5 days out, batter made and refrigerated. Butter on counter, ready for Swiss meringue making. And the week ensues: Work. Work out (YES!). Work. Work. Drinks with neighbor friends. Work. Work out. Date. Work. Sleeeeeeeeeep. And Saturday St. Patrick’s Day. Batter still in fridge. Room temp butter still on countertop.

Fast forward: 1 day overdue. “I could really use a cupcake.” “I could really use something to blog about.” “I could really use a kick in the butt to get off this couch.” Cupcakes made. Swiss meringue made. Treadmill worked. Cupcakes eaten. Huge bowl of green beans also eaten. (Just to balance things out. Also – they were GREEN beans, get it?)

Present day: Coworkers hounding the Irish Cream Cupcakes with Pistachio Swiss Meringue. Fighting over final crumbs. Praising the deliciousness and beauty and classy-ness of said cupcakes. Never knowing that the batter sat in the refrigerator for nearly a week.

The lesson: When short on time, which may very be every single day for the rest of my life, praise God for giving us electricity and modern refrigeration. The blog will survive. I will survive. The food will survive and even thrive and maybe this is simply the new norm. A BIG Irish Cheers to creating new methods to handle my madness.

Also, just because I haven’t mentioned it yet – these are WAY BETTER than any kitschy Kelly green treat I’ve ever been served on St. Pat’s. Impress your friends, your neighbors, your in-laws, your law enforcement officers, and any other people you may or may not encounter this Thursday.

Don’t forget about these other St. Pat’s Day favorites!
Classic Pastrami Reuben
Easy Irish Soda Bread
Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake with Bailey’s Whipped Cream

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Irish Cream Cupcakes with Pistachio Swiss Meringue

Irish Cream Cupcakes with Pistachio Swiss Meringue are a beautiful spring treat. This classy recipe is perfect for Saint Patrick's Day or Easter or any other "just because" occasion. Impress everyone and watch them fight over the first and last cupcake crumbs. 

Course Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 14 cupcakes

Calories 565 kcal

Author Danielle Cushing

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup butter room temperature
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

For the swiss meringue

• 4 large egg whites from fresh, whole eggs
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cups unsalted butter 2 1/2 sticks, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, finely ground

Instructions

For the cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a muffin pan with cupcake lines or baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, add butter, egg whites, vanilla, sour cream, milk, and Bailey's just until smooth.
3. Fill cupcake liners until about 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Cool completely before icing.

For the swiss meringue

1. In a double boiler, over simmering water, whisk the egg white and sugar until the mixture is warm, thin, foamy, and syrupy. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water or you risk scrambling the egg whites.
2. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the salt and cream of tartar. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat a medium-high speed until glossy, stiff, but not dry, about 10 minutes.
3. By now, the egg whites should be cooled to room temperature. If the meringue still feels warm, reduce speed to low and continue to mix until completely cool.
4. Gradually at the butter and continue to beat on medium-low speed. The meringue will start to deflate and will initially appear lumpy -- keep beating. One the meringue appears smooth, add the vanilla and beat thoroughly. Add the ground pistachios and beat thoroughly.
5. The meringue is easiest to work with at room temperature. If piping, make sure the tip you use is large enough for any odd-size pieces of pistachio to fit through. Pipe or spread onto completely cooled cupcakes.

Recipe Notes

Irish Cream Cupcakes adapted from a recipe by Life, Love and Sugar.