Maida Heatter’s 86-Proof Chocolate Cake
- Total Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup (approximately) fine dry bread crumbs
- 5ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 2cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- ¼teaspoon salt
- ¼cup instant espresso powder
- Boiling water
- Cold water
- ½cup bourbon
- ½pound unsalted butter
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2cups granulated sugar
- 3large eggs
- Additional bourbon (optional)
- Confectioner's sugar (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
482 calories; 23 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 211 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
Adjust rack one-third up from bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and dust the inside of a 9-inch bundt pan (called a minibundt pan), or any other fancy tube pan with a 10-cup capacity, with fine dry breadcrumbs. Invert the pan over a piece of paper and tap lightly to shake out excess crumbs. Set aside.
- Step 2
Place the chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on low heat. Cover and cook only until melted; then remove the top of the double boiler and set it aside, uncovered, to cool slightly. (You can also melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, just keep a close eye on it.)
- Step 3
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- Step 4
In a two-cup measuring cup dissolve the coffee in a little boiling water. Add cold water to the 1½ cup line. Add the bourbon. Set aside.
- Step 5
Cream the butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and sugar and beat to mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add the chocolate and beat until smooth.
- Step 6
Then, on low speed, alternately add the sifted dry ingredients in three additions with the liquids in two additions, adding the liquids very gradually to avoid splashing and scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Be sure to beat until smooth after each addition, especially after the last. It will be a thin mixture.
- Step 7
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Rotate the pan a bit briskly, first in one direction, then in the other, to level the top. In a minibundt pan the batter will almost reach the top of the pan, but it will not run over and you will have a beautifully high cake.
- Step 8
Bake for one hour and 10 to 15 minutes. Test by inserting a cake tester in the middle of the cake and bake only until the tester comes out clean and dry.
- Step 9
Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then cover with a rack and invert. Remove the pan, sprinkle the cake with a little optional bourbon, and leave the cake upside down on a rack to cool. Before serving, if you wish, sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar through a fine strainer.
Private Notes
Comments
I have made this cake dozens of times over the years and every single time it comes out perfect. Intensely flavorful, moist, dense, no need for anything more than a dusting of powdered sugar to finish it. I brought it to a gathering of foodies once and it got disdainful looks for its simplicity until the first piece was cut and passed, then the whole cake was gone in a flash! All of Maida's recipes are superb, but this one is incredible.
"In a two-cup measuring cup dissolve the coffee in a little boiling water. Add cold water to the 1 1/2 cup line. Add the bourbon." Please explain. Are you suggesting "instant" espresso? Or are you starting with a 1/4C of espresso and diluting it?
I've been making this cake for years, every since I got the original book by Maida Heatter. It's great. However, I use only 1-2 TB of powdered coffee and 3 more of cocoa in the liquid. I have also used as much as a cup of bourbon for a New Year's party, and all the adults went crazy for it, but about 5/8 cup for the family. It is absolutely at its best after sitting for 12 hours.
This was delicious! I don’t know if I over mixed it, but the batter was more mousse like rather than thin. It did nearly fill the Bundt pan. The extra bourbon added at the end was a bit much for me (maybe I was too heavy handed)
I found this to be a very forgiving recipe - I used whole wheat pastry flour and brown sugar, and forgot to put the last part of dry ingredients in (it was maybe 1/2 cup by that point). The cake was absolutely delicious. Delicate and sophisticated. It reminded me of my aunt's slow oven milk chocolate poundcake.
I followed this recipe exactly except I used dark rum in place of bourbon. It was truly sensational. 100/10!