Whiskey-Soaked Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake

This recipe is a more sophisticated (and boozier) version of one found in Maida Heatter’s “Book of Great Chocolate Desserts.” The cake is rich, dense and very chocolaty, with a spicy, peppery, burnt caramel tang.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting pan
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• ¼ cup instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup bourbon, rye or other whiskey, more for sprinkling
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish (optional)

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

    583 calories; 27 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 40 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 104 milligrams cholesterol; 271 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
  Powered by DiningAndCooking.com

10 to 12 servings

Preparation

1. Grease and flour a 10-cup-capacity Bundt pan (or two 8- or 9-inch loaf pans). Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In microwave oven or double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate. Let cool.
2. Put espresso and cocoa powders in a 2-cup (or larger) glass measuring cup. Add enough boiling water to come up to the 1 cup measuring line. Mix until powders dissolve. Add whiskey and salt; let cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract, baking soda and melted chocolate, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. On low speed, beat in a third of the whiskey mixture. When liquid is absorbed, beat in 1 cup flour. Repeat additions, ending with whiskey mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes for Bundt pan (loaf pans will take less time, start checking them after 55 minutes).
5. Transfer cake to a rack. Unmold after 15 minutes and sprinkle warm cake with more whiskey. Let cool before serving, garnished with confectioners’ sugar if you like.