Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Poke Cake

 A homemade chocolate cake with the added flavor of Bailey's is then topped with a  homemade chocolate whipped cream to create the ultimate cake recipe. Thank you Life, Love and Sugar

2 cups (260g) all purpose flour
2 cups (414g) sugar
3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup (180ml) milk
1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (240ml) Baileys Irish Cream, divided
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup (180ml) boiling water
1 cup (240ml) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup (127g) semi sweet chocolate chips

Whipped Cream Topping

2 cups (480) heavy whipping cream, cold
3/4 cup (86g) powdered sugar
1/4 cup (29g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp (30ml) Baileys Irish Cream, optional
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Additional
Mini chocolate chips
Chocolate sauce

• Prepare a 9×13 inch cake pan by greasing the sides. 
• Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C).
• Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and combine.
• Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, 1/2 cup of Irish cream and vanilla to dry ingredients and mix well.
• Slowly pour the water into the batter, mixing well and being careful of splashing.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
• Remove the cake from the oven and poke holes all over with a wooden spoon handle
• While the cake is still warm, add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl. 
• Set aside.
• Add the sweetened condensed milk and remaining 1/2 cup of Irish cream to a microwave safe measuring cup. 
• Heat heat the milk and cream until they begin to boil
• Pour over the chocolate chips.
• Whisk the chocolate until smooth
• Immediately pour over the cake, spreading it into the holes. 
• Don’t let the mixture sit before pouring it over the cake or it’ll start to thicken and not soak in the holes as well.
• Set the cake in the fridge to cool and soak.
• When the cake has cooled, add the ingredients for the whipped cream topping to a large mixer bowl. 
• Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake. 
• Top the cake with mini chocolate chips and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, if desired. 
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hot Cocoa Meringue Cookies

 These crunchy, sweet, melt in your mouth meringue cookies are the perfect cookie to add to that holiday cookie plate. Thank you Chocolate, Chocolate and More

2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of hot cocoa mix (without marshmallows)
1 cup of chocolate chips
chocolate sprinkles

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and spray a cookies sheet with nonstick spray.
• Using a stand or handheld mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on the highest speed until a soft peak forms. 
• Slowly add in the sugar and continue to whip until a stiff peak forms. 
• If you aren't sure if it's stiff, whip it a little more. 
• It shouldn't drip or move when you lift the beater up.
• Use a spatula to fold in the hot cocoa mix then the chocolate chip.
• Spoon the whites onto the cookie sheet 
• Add a few sprinkles on top
• Bake for 20-23 minutes  
• Turn the oven off but leave the cookies in for another 30 minutes. 
• Then it's ready to serve or store in a container.