It's the king of cakes. It's spicy, bitter, sweet, and so dense it sticks to the roof of your mouth. And it contains so much chocolate that it's like drinking a bowl of dark chocolate fondue. You definitely won't be able to eat a slice of this cake without ice cream or milk, although the tanginess of the berry compote helps to balance out the richness of flavor and texture. And the best part is, eating the frozen leftovers is almost like sinking your teeth into the densest ice cream/chocolate mousse ever made.
To my sister and I, this Bundt cake was the best cake we've ever had. We have this thing where we incorporate alcohol into almost every dessert that we make, although sometimes my sister has to stop me from going too far. This cake was the one place we could pour all of our darkest desires into. But don't worry...you can't get drunk off the alcohol in this cake - unfortunately once its baked the alcohol all cooks off.
Spiced Bourbon Chocolate Bundt Cake with Berry Compote
For the Cake
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso/coffee powder
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup bourbon (or 1/2 cup whiskey, 1/2 cup rum)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups white sugar (depending on how sweet you want the cake)
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup bittersweet baking chocolate
- 1 cup chocolate chips (can be omitted, depending on how chocolatey you want the cake)
- 1 cup boiling water
For the Ganache
- 1 tablespoon liquor (Kahlua, rum, bourbon, Frangelico)
- 6 ounces heavy cream
- 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
For the Berry Compote
- 3 cups frozen mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
Garnish
melted white chocolate
mint sprigs
Bundt Cake
- In a microwaveable bowl, microwave the baking chocolate in 1 minute intervals until completely melted.
- Combine the espresso powder, cocoa powder, and boiling water in a cup or bowl until dissolved.
- Add bourbon, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper and stir until blended.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and spray your bundt pan.
- Without rushing, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure that the first is completely blended before adding the next.
- Add the vanilla extract and baking soda and mix well.
- Pour the melted chocolate into the mixture while mixing slowly. Continue mixing while pouring in half of the espresso/cocoa/bourbon liquid.
- Add 1 cup of flour and mix until fully blended. Pour in 1/2 of the liquid again, then the last cup of flour, and then whatever is left of the liquid, all the while mixing until everything is well blended together.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into the oil-sprayed cake pan. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top springs back when softly touched.
- Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes (in this time you can make either the ganache or the berry compote)
- Run a knife around the edges of the pan and invert onto the plate or platter you are using for serving the cake. If the top of the cake is still stuck inside the pan, just take out whatever cake is stuck and arrange it carefully on top of the broken cake. Don't worry - the ganache and compote will cover it up...
Ganache
- Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to get a little bubbly.
- If your chocolate is not in really tiny pieces, you might want to melt it in a bowl in the microwave until it's half melted. Otherwise, you can just pour the cream over the chocolate and mix until everything is smooth.
- Spoon or drizzle the ganache over the cake as desired and let the cake sit for about half an hour to let the ganache firm.
Berry Compote
- Pour frozen berries into a sauce pan, turn on high, and let them defrost
- Add sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest to berries.
- Allow berries to simmer on low-medium heat for about 10 minutes, until they release juices and everything is combined.
- You can add a pinch of cornstarch if you prefer your compote thicker.
Garnish the cake with drizzles of melted white chocolate and a few sprigs of mint, and then spoon the compote into the hollow center of the Bundt cake and around the edges.