These Blarney stones are cake squares coated with chopped roasted peanuts. Sometimes called Blarney Stone bars, they are a fun sweet & salty St. Patrick's Day treat to surprise your family with!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This Blarney Stones recipe is quick and easy to make from scratch, and even faster when using a store bought pound cake! Not only do these delightful little cake squares coated in chopped roasted peanuts melt in your mouth, but they will also add a unique touch to your St. Patrick's Day celebration.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- For the Frosting and Coating
- How to Make this Blarney Stone Recipe
- Serving Suggestions
- Substitutions & Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
- 📖 Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions and ingredients are for making the Blarney Stones cake from scratch. You can however, purchase a store bought vanilla cake or a pound cake and cut it into cake squares.
For the Cake
These ingredients are for making the cake. Alternatively, you can purchase a yellow cake from the grocery bakery, or a frozen Sara Lee pound cake.
- Flour - Regular all purpose flour.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs - Large, room temperature eggs.
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk - Dairy or Plant based.
- Butter - Melted, you can use a plant based 'butter', oil, or melted coconut oil instead also.
For the Frosting and Coating
- Confectioners Sugar - Also called Powdered Sugar.
- Milk - Dairy or plant based.
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Coarsely Chopped Roasted Peanuts - Salted, Honey Roasted, low salted, or unsalted, up to you, but salted peanuts will give that sweet-salty taste that makes these Blarney Stones SO good!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make this Blarney Stone Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 13" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper or lightly spray pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy.
Make the Cake
- Add the dry ingredients to the fluffy egg and sugar mixture, mixing just to combine. Add the milk and melted butter, mixing to incorporate.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Make the Icing
- Once the cake is completely cooled, lift from the pan and cut into squares of your desired size. (4 slices lengthwise and 6 slices across for 24 Blarney Stones). Freeze overnight on a baking sheet.
- Prepare frosting by mixing together confectioner's sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth with an electric hand mixer. The consistency should be thin and easy to pour like thick syrup. Adjust with a tablespoon of milk to thin if it is too thick.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Ice the Blarney Stones
- Remove the frozen cake squares from the freezer and spread them out on a cooling rack which is placed inside the rimmed baking sheet.
- Pour the frosting over the cake squares, covering each exposed side with a thin coating of frosting. You don't want a thick coating or they will be just too sweet.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Coat With Chopped Peanuts
- Place the coarsely chopped peanuts in a shallow dish. Before the frosting on the cake squares sets completely, roll the squares in the chopped peanuts, coating well on all sides. Return cake squares to set completely on the cooling rack before serving.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving Suggestions
These delicious Blarney Stone bars are a simple salty-sweet dessert for a St. Patrick's Day bit of Irish! Enjoy them with your favorite cup of tea or coffee.
Looking for a few more St. Patrick's Day recipes? See our Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup, Dutch Oven Corned Beef, and Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread recipes.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions & Variations
Here are a few scrumptious substitutions or variations using this Blarney Stones recipe:
- Gluten Free Blarney Stones - Make our Blarney Stones recipe with gluten free flour, or purchase a gluten free yellow cake or pound cake. Cut into squares and ice using powdered sugar that is gluten free for the icing. Roll in chopped roasted peanuts.
- Peanut Free Blarney Stones - Roll the iced cake squares (720/21) in toasted coconut or Rice Krispies. Both are peanut allergen free!
- Butterscotch Blarney Stones - Melt Butterscotch baking morsels and dip the cake squares in the melted butterscotch while the cake is still frozen. Quickly roll in the chopped roasted peanuts for amazing sweet and salty treat!
- Giant Blarney Stones - For even MORE fun, purchase a couple store bought pound cakes. Measure the height and trim from the side enough so that the height and width of the pound cake are equal. Then slice across to make large cake squares. Ice and roll in the chopped roasted peanuts for 4" size
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish.
- 9 x 13 Cake Pan
- 9 x 13 Baking Dish
- Rimmed Baking Sheet and Cooling Rack set
- Electric KitchenAid Handmixer
Storage
Store these Blarney Stones in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place in the refrigerator for longer storage.
Tips for Success
- You can speed up the process by using a store bought pound cake or a freezer case Sara Lee pound cake. Just cut into squares, ice, then roll in the chopped roasted peanuts!
- Once iced and rolled in the chopped roasted peanuts, these Blarney Stones are much larger than the initial cut cake squares.
Frequently Asked Questions
Toasted coconut, or Rice Krispies! Both are safe if you are allergic to peanuts. Toasted coconut is also gluten free! See our recipe for Toasted Coconut to make you own.
Yes, freeze these Blarney stone bars in a single layer separated with parchment paper. Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months.
Kissing the actual Blarney Stone in Ireland is a centuries old tradition that is believed to give a person the gift of eloquence.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Blarney Stones
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1¾ cup Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 4 large Eggs
- 1¾ cup Sugar
- 1½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Milk dairy or plant based
- ¼ cup Butter melted (you can use oil or coconut oil instead)
For the Icing and Coating
- 2 lbs Powdered Sugar
- ⅔ cup Milk plus 1 - 2 tablespoon more if icing too thick.
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 6 cups Salted Roasted Peanuts or Honey Roasted Peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 13" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper or lightly spray pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.1¾ cup Flour, 1 tablespoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- In a separate large mixing bowl, together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy.4 large Eggs, 1½ teaspoon Vanilla extract, 1¾ cup Sugar
- Add the dry ingredients to the fluffy egg and sugar mixture, mixing just to combine. Add the milk and melted butter, mixing to incorporate.1 cup Milk, ¼ cup Butter
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, lift from the pan and cut into squares of your desired size. (4 slices lengthwise and 6 slices across for 24 Blarney Stones). Freeze overnight on a baking sheet.
- Prepare frosting by mixing together confectioner's sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth with an electric hand mixer. The consistency should be thin and easy to pour like thick syrup. Adjust with a tablespoon of milk to thin if it is too thick.2 lbs Powdered Sugar, ⅔ cup Milk, 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- Remove the frozen cake squares from the freezer and spread them out on a cooling rack which is placed inside the rimmed baking sheet.
- Pour the frosting over the cake squares, covering each exposed side with a thin coating of frosting. You don't want a thick coating or they will be just too sweet.
- Place the coarsely chopped peanuts in a shallow dish. Before the frosting on the cake squares sets completely, roll the squares in the chopped peanuts, coating well on all sides. Return cake squares to set completely on the cooling rack before serving.6 cups Salted Roasted Peanuts
Notes
- You can speed up the process by using a store bought pound cake or a freezer case Sara Lee pound cake. Just cut into squares, ice, then roll in the chopped roasted peanuts!
- Once iced and rolled in the chopped roasted peanuts, these Blarney Stones are much larger than the initial cut cake squares.
- Gluten Free Blarney Stones - Make our Blarney Stones recipe with gluten free flour, or purchase a gluten free yellow cake or pound cake. Cut into squares and ice using powdered sugar that is gluten free for the icing. Roll in chopped roasted peanuts.
- Peanut Free Blarney Stones - Roll the iced cake squares (720/21) in toasted coconut or Rice Krispies. Both are peanut allergen free!
Nutrition
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