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.
I make this with bourbon and a lot of it. I would not consume bourbon in any other form but this cake drenched with it is delicious. My problem is that I don’t see how this is a “more sophisticated version of the Maida Heatter recipe” when it is, for all intents and purposes, identical. Anywhere else you would say that it’s simply stealing. Look up the original recipe on this very website and look for yourself.
I made this for a family gathering and we all agreed ( except for the one bourbon lover) that the cake was too boozy. The chocolate was completely overpowered by the 4 Roses bourbon, which is pretty disappointing since I used Valrhona chocolate. I loved the texture but next time I’ll cut the bourbon in 1/2.
HALVED this recipe (rounded-up to two whole eggs) and baked in a 6-cup Bundt pan for 38 min -- PERFECT. Buffalo Trace Is A Beautiful Thing.