Whiskey-Soaked Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake
Updated Feb. 29, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing pan
- 2cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting pan
- 5ounces unsweetened chocolate
- ¼cup instant espresso powder
- 2tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1cup bourbon, rye or other whiskey, more for sprinkling
- ½teaspoon kosher salt
- 2cups granulated sugar
- 3large eggs
- 1tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
492 calories; 23 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 208 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 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.
- Step 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.
- Step 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.
- Step 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).
- Step 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.
Private Notes
Comments
A moist and rich cake, but I found crust dry and a tad bitter. So, the next time I prepped the pan with fine sugar instead of flour. I also reserved 4 ozs of the bourbon and made a glaze using it and butter, sugar, a drop of brown icing gel and vanilla. A keeper!
This has become my foolproof go-to bundt cake secret weapon. The crumb is so fine that it can be sliced super-thin if serving a crowd. This cake also stays moist for days -- and is notably better the second day after mellowing so I recommend making it a day ahead. The character of the whiskey or bourbon you chose is prominent enough that it adapts well to individual tastes or preferences based on which you select. Once I used Four Roses bourbon and Five Roses flour to make a 9 Roses Bundt. BOOM!
The first time I made the batter I was tempted to lock all the doors, turn off the lights and ladle every drop of it down my throat. I got hold of myself and poured the batter into the pan. The cake was marvelous! I am about to make it again and am so happy to see all the notes on this.
This is fantastic. It is indeed whiskey forward, but my group loved it. I used Maker’s Mark, 4oz Baker’s unsweetened chocolate and 1 oz dark chocolate chips, dusted the pan with granulated sugar instead of flour, skipped the whiskey sprinkling after baking and just did a dusting of powdered sugar on top. I served it with lightly sweetened whipped cream. So incredibly dense and flavorful. 10/10!
I really wish that the baking recipes would advise on sources for unusual ingredients, like espresso powder and Dutch-process chocolate, or offer substitutions. Many stores don't carry this stuff regularly.
Sometimes it's a matter of knowing Almost every store that carries baking supplies should have dutch-processed cocoa, it's but it's not always loudly labeled as such. Hershey's special dark cocoa is dutch-processed. Espresso powder should also be in the baking aisle of most major grocery store chains. If they aren't in the baking aisle, it's usually in the coffee aisle. Unless you live remotely, shop at very small stores, or live outside the US, you should be able to find those pretty easily.
I didn't enjoy this cake, although my guests gave it 5 stars. I found the whiskey flavour overwhelming and didn't particularly add anything. This is in contrast to Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Guinness Cake which is perfection. Anyway it is technically a lovely cake - moist, fine crumb, and very easy to bake.