Irish Whiskey Soaked Chocolate Bundt Cake is my favorite boozy cake! A moist chocolat espresso cake with a bourbon drizzle! The best whiskey dessert! Make it in a springform pan to make it a birthday cake.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan - Mine has a 10-cup-capacity
Set a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water ( should not touch wqter) and melt the chocolate until just smooth, stirring occasionally. Let cool.
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. Stir until the powders dissolve. Add the whiskey and a big pinch of salt. Let cool. ( IN winter, I like adding some black pepper and cloves)
Using an electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter until fluffy. Add the sugar, and beat until well combined. Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If you want add a tbsp flour with each egg to prevent curdling. Beat in the vanilla extract, baking soda and melted chocolate, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in a third of the whiskey espresso mixture. When liquid is absorbed, beat in 1 cup flour. Repeat additions, ending with the whiskey mixture. It may seem like there is too much liquid, but don’t worry; it’s okay. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes for a Bundt pan.
Transfer the cake, still in its pan, to a rack. Unmold after 15 minutes and sprinkle warm cake with more whiskey. (Pour a little bit into a teaspoon, and then shaking the teaspoon over the cake. I’m guessing that I used 1 tbsp - 1.5 tbsp worth in all.) Cool completely before serving, garnished with confectioners’ sugar, or, if you like, make my easy chocolate ganache. (see notes)
Make it a birthday cake or loaf cakes:
This makes enough batter for 1 26 cm springform or two 8- or 9-inch loaf pans
Loaf pans will take less time; start checking them after 55 minutes.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add cream and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and add the chocolate chips and whisk just until chocolate chips are melted. I also like adding a pinch of salt here.
Continue whisking until ganache is shiny and smooth. Dont heat it again. Let cool 15-20 minutes. Drizzle ganache over the cooked whisky cake.