Actually, it’s for a chocolate pound cake mini-bundt…. But since my dear Aunt Lynne is a lover of Bailey’s, well, this glaze is, and shall always be, eaten in her honor.  I’m hoping that by posting this recipe my cousins will make it for her one of these days.  I’m pretty sure she has the main ingredient 😉

You can use this glaze to top just about any kind of cake.  It was perfect with chocolate, but I’m sure some kind of mocha or even a yellow or white cake would be tasty.  Bailey’s is good as is, so how could it NOT be good on any type of cake?

I baked the cakes and cooled them on a rack, then drizzled on the glaze before serving.  Since the glaze contains dairy, it really should be stored in the refrigerator if you aren’t using it right away.  But we all know (pretend you do if you don’t) what that does to a butter cake — as Fletch said, “my cake is like a brick.” 

Indeed it is, so just leave your cake of choice unadorned and out of the fridge, covered tightly with plastic wrap.   Add the glaze about 15 minutes before serving.  That will give it enough time to set a bit.

Bailey’s Irish Cream Glaze
2 oz Cream Cheese, softened/room temp
2T Bailey’s Irish Cream
2/3 cup Confectioner’s Sugar
1-2 T Half and Half or Milk

Put cream cheese in a small bowl and smoosh it around.  Stir in the Bailey’s until combined.  Add the sugar and mix until smooth.  If you want to spread it on a cake, use it now.  If you want to drizzle it, add a bit of milk or half and half until you’ve reached the desired consistency.  Store unused (REALLY?) in a small container in the fridge. 

It’s also delicious just eaten off a spoon. 

Thomas and his cousin Ryan are 5 years apart in age but they’ve been best buddies since the day they met.  They can spend hours and hours together, and if they’re lucky, those hours morph into days.  They’re happy playing video games, riding skateboards, playing tag or hide and seek, swimming, or just walking and talking.  They aren’t together often, but when they are, they’re inseparable… and bound to get into some kind of boyish mischief.  <I neglected to snap photos of them knee deep in black dirt mud last week.  Use your imagination.>

Sadly, the occasion of this get-together was the sudden loss of Ryan’s geeboo (grandpa), my uncle.  As nice as it was to see everyone up here in NY, we would have passed on the visit if only to have Uncle Patsy with us for a long, long while.

Last spring Thomas and I went to visit the family on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Thomas found himself another hero in Patsy Pellew.  I think the feeling may have been mutual.  Uncle Patsy was diabetic, you see.   One evening after a full day of play and beach and supper, a freshly bathed Thomas sat down on the couch directly opposite Patsy’s recliner and next to the special crystal bowl of smart pills (sugar-free jelly beans). 

From the dining table, the girls and I could hear Thomas mumbling, “boy am I dumb… BOY AM I DUMB.”  When he got louder I realized exactly what he was up to. One chuckle from us gave Patsy the warning that he was about to be taken for a ride. 

“What did you say, Thomas?”
“Boy am I dumb…”
“Do you think some smart pills would help?”
“Maybe,” he said with a shrug and an innocent look on his cherubic face.

Then he snagged a little handful of jelly beans and carefully, methodically placed them in his mouth one by one, while the rest of  us shook our heads and smiled the smile only a child can bring out in us.

Uncle Patsy, you made a forever friend when you gave Thomas your attention and your love.  He will always treasure this alligator foot keychain that you gave him when we stayed with you last spring.  You will be missed here on Earth, but we’ll see you again someday.  Thank you for making life more fun!