Chocolate Whiskey Cake

Name: Chocolate Whiskey Cake
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, more for pan; 85 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (about 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons); 1 1/2 cups brewed strong coffee; 1/2 cup Irish whiskey; 200 grams granulated sugar (about 1 cup); 156 grams light brown sugar (about 1 cup); 240 grams all-purpose flour (about 2 cups); 8 grams baking soda (about 1 1/2 teaspoons); 3 grams fine sea salt (about 3/4 teaspoon); 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; 3 large eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips; Powdered sugar, for serving (optional)

Recipe from Marti Buckley Kilpatrick

Adapted by Melissa Clark

Chocolate Whiskey Cake — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Rating: 5(3,234)
Comments: Read comments

This recipe came to The Times from Marti Buckley Kilpatrick, who adapted it from Dol Miles, the pastry chef at Frank Stitt’s Bottega restaurant in Birmingham, Ala. Ms. Kilpatrick describes the cake as an ugly frog of a confection, but promises that anyone willing to bet a kiss on its excellence would be amply rewarded. The interplay of coffee, black pepper and cloves is subtle but powerful, and results in a deeply flavored, moist confection that comes together quickly. It’s just delicious. —Melissa Clark

Featured in: Thanks for the Holiday Desserts

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

12tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, more for pan
85grams unsweetened cocoa powder (about ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1½cups brewed strong coffee
½cup Irish whiskey
200grams granulated sugar (about 1 cup)
156grams light brown sugar (about 1 cup)
240grams all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
8grams baking soda (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
3grams fine sea salt (about ¾ teaspoon)
¼teaspoon black pepper
⅛teaspoon ground cloves
3large eggs
2teaspoons vanilla extract
1cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Powdered sugar, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 10-inch springform pan. Dust with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
Step 2
In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm coffee, Irish whiskey, 12 tablespoons butter and remaining cocoa powder, whisking occasionally, until butter is melted. Whisk in sugars until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Step 3
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, pepper and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Slowly whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Add dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.
Step 4
Pour batter into prepared pan. Transfer to oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, then remove sides of pan. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if you like.

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Ratings

5 out of 5

3,234 user ratings

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Comments

Scott R8 years ago

Is it the best cake I have ever made? Quite possibly. Chocolate cake is not often sophisticated and when it is—flourless or molten—it's more a cliche than an appealing dessert. This cake, however, is swoonable. Is that a word? Chocolate (skip the mini semisweet chips in favor of a rough chop of good bittersweet), coffee, whiskey, cloves, black pepper (be generous with the mill): all speak individually but somehow meld into a deep, balanced flavor. Also? It's moist. Perfection.

Dave8 years ago

Use brandy instead of whiskey for a richer flavor that plays better with the coffee and cloves.

Suzzanne8 years ago

I have made this twice and the first go round not happy with the chocolate chips that sunk to the bottom of the cake and got crunchy. Second time, I followed Scott R's advice to use chopped bittersweet chocolate. That worked great! The cake is so moist that you cannot trust the toothpick test for doneness. I baked the first cake too long. 50 to 55 minutes works well. The second cake I baked ahead for a birthday party. It froze well. Thanks for the great recipe.

Mary P.1 month ago

I really wanted to love this cake but it didn't wow me. The texture and rise were all great (no modifications) but the flavor was just so/so. For the amount of sugar and butter used I wanted to LOVE it.

dimmerswitch1 month ago

Fantabulously rich, moist, chocolate cake was outcome when made exactly as recipe was written with one small edit. Couldn't find mini chocolate chips so rough chopped regular ones, choosing bittersweet, and worked swell. In 10" springform, 55 min did it for bake. Flavors marry so well but whiskey joining chocolate at front so I won't make when hosting friends and family who don't use alcohol.

Deb1 month ago

This was outstanding! One of my guests said it was the best chocolate cake she ever had. I even liked it and I am not a big chocolate fan. I did not have cloves but used 5 spice powder instead - otherwise followed the recipe exactly. My chocolate chips did sink to the bottom but I did not mind finding a layer of bittersweet chocolate at the bottom. I am going to make this again tonight. Have fresh ground cloves but have no more irish whiskey - I will try with some brandy instead.

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