Whiskey-Soaked Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake
Updated February 28, 2024
Craig Lee for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
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 analysis per serving (10 to 12 servings)
55 grams carbs; 87 milligrams cholesterol; 492 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 23 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 208 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 35 grams sugar
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.
Powered by
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 use this cake as a basis for a chocolate ganache cake with an orange apricot jam filling, and it never, ever disappoints
LOOOOOVE this cake but despite buttering and flour dusting of bundt pan, still stuck. Tips please?
I am a bourbon lover, and made as written with bourbon. I found this extremely bitter and unbalanced, leaning far too alcoholic.