Make Ahead

Deepest, Darkest, Most Delicious Chocolate Cake

by:
January 25, 2010
3
2 Ratings
  • Serves 10 regular people, fewer chocoholics
Author Notes

I've been baking this cake - and playing around with the recipe - for more than 20 years. It's my "go-to" cake for potlucks and parties. I'm always the "dessert person." —Maui Bonnie

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • best quality unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting pan
  • 1 1/4 cups strong, brewed black coffee
  • 1/4 cup bourbon (or whiskey)
  • 6 ounces best quality unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • scant 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • confectioners' sugar for dusting cake
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 275?.
  2. Butter a 9” tube pan and then dust bottom and sides liberally with cocoa powder. Knock out excess and set aside.
  3. In a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat, heat the coffee and the bourbon. When it’s warm, add the chocolate and the butter. Stir constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool down slightly.
  4. By hand, stir in the sugar until well combined. Let stand for five minutes. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer.
  5. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on slow speed, add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture IN FOUR ADDITIONS. Mix only until each addition is incorporated. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on low/medium speed until batter is smooth.
  6. Pour into the prepared tube pan. Bake until cake tester in the center comes out barely clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool completely in the pan. After removing from pan to a cake plate, dust top with confectioners’ sugar. Nice to serve with a dollop of flavored whipped cream or, better yet, Hawaiian Vanilla Bean ice cream (or any vanilla bean ice cream if you’re not lucky enough to live in Hawai‘i!)
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4 Reviews

Amir
Amir July 17, 2020
275 fahrenheit?
 
kevin.townsley
kevin.townsley August 7, 2011
As a huge chocolate cake fan, and a huge bourbon fanatic, I've got to try this. I'll try making this next weekend, and I'll be sure to put up some pictures.
 
Alesha
Alesha January 6, 2011
This cake is AMAZING! I hate signing up for accounts on sites like these but I did it just to say THANK YOU!!! This is THE most delicious cake ever! I had to use Rum as I didn't have whiskey on hand and used 1/2 dark chocolate and 1/2 milk choc. with hazelnuts and it was fantastic!! I also had to cook it for 15 min. longer but I'm sure it might vary per globe location.

Thank you Maui! You live on the best island ever by the way! If you ever run into my friend Kaua (white native w/blond hair, tall, surfer, and best photographer ever)...please say hello!)
 
dymnyno
dymnyno January 25, 2010
I like the addition of bourbon...makes it richer. What part of Maui are you on? (I am out in Makena)