Chocolate Whiskey Cake Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Marti Buckley Kilpatrick

Adapted by Melissa Clark

Chocolate Whiskey Cake Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes
Rating
5(2,891)
Notes
Read community notes

This recipe came to The Times from Marti Buckley Kilpatrick, who adapted it from Dol Miles, the pastry chef at Frank Stitt’s Bottega restaurant in Birmingham, Ala. Ms. Kilpatrick describes the cake as an ugly frog of a confection, but promises that anyone willing to bet a kiss on its excellence would be amply rewarded. The interplay of coffee, black pepper and cloves is subtle but powerful, and results in a deeply flavored, moist confection that comes together quickly. It’s just delicious. —Melissa Clark

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

  • 12tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, more for pan
  • 85grams unsweetened cocoa powder (about ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
  • cups brewed strong coffee
  • ½cup Irish whiskey
  • 200grams granulated sugar (about 1 cup)
  • 156grams light brown sugar (about 1 cup)
  • 240grams all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
  • 8grams baking soda (about 1½ teaspoons)
  • 3grams fine sea salt (about ¾ teaspoon)
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper
  • teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3large eggs
  • 2teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
  • Powdered sugar, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

500 calories; 22 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 69 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 44 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 384 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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Chocolate Whiskey Cake Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 10-inch springform pan. Dust with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.

  2. Step

    2

    In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm coffee, Irish whiskey, 12 tablespoons butter and remaining cocoa powder, whisking occasionally, until butter is melted. Whisk in sugars until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely.

  3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, pepper and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Slowly whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Add dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.

  4. Step

    4

    Pour batter into prepared pan. Transfer to oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, then remove sides of pan. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if you like.

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2,891

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Scott R

Is it the best cake I have ever made? Quite possibly. Chocolate cake is not often sophisticated and when it is—flourless or molten—it's more a cliche than an appealing dessert. This cake, however, is swoonable. Is that a word? Chocolate (skip the mini semisweet chips in favor of a rough chop of good bittersweet), coffee, whiskey, cloves, black pepper (be generous with the mill): all speak individually but somehow meld into a deep, balanced flavor. Also? It's moist. Perfection.

Dave

Use brandy instead of whiskey for a richer flavor that plays better with the coffee and cloves.

Suzzanne

I have made this twice and the first go round not happy with the chocolate chips that sunk to the bottom of the cake and got crunchy. Second time, I followed Scott R's advice to use chopped bittersweet chocolate. That worked great! The cake is so moist that you cannot trust the toothpick test for doneness. I baked the first cake too long. 50 to 55 minutes works well. The second cake I baked ahead for a birthday party. It froze well. Thanks for the great recipe.

Jmk

Just as described, great cake. Simple but sophisticated. One third recipe fits in a 8.5x4.5 loaf pan, 30-35 mins. Doubled the spice, still subtle, and second the "dash of five spice" recommendation. Brandy worked fine.

Jmk

Hgc, you are correct that the original recipe calls for "natural" non-alkalized cocoa powder (Paula Disbrowe, Cowboy Cuisine, 2007). If using dutch cocoa you'd still need some soda to cancel out the acidity of the brown sugar. So I'm estimating instead of 1.5t soda, use 3/4t baking soda + 2 1/4t baking powder.

Rob

I believe the directions need to be rewritten slightly to avoid confusion or explain some things better.

Specifically, the need to pre-heat the oven in Step 1. You need to allow the chocolate mixture to cool in Step 3 so your oven will be hot for quite a while before it's needed.

Also, in Step 3, the directions say to fold in the chocolate chips, which indicate the mixture is thick enough to do so but, as someone else mentioned, mine was very runny and the chips just floated to the bottom.

Michal M.

I used 1/4 teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice instead of cloves and pepper.

Lynn

I wanted to cut the recipe in half because we don't need something this tempting hanging around the house. The fact that the ingredients were listed by weight made it very easy to calculate the reduced amounts. I used a 7" springform pan and the cake turned out perfectly. My husband was shocked, impressed, and quite delighted when I presented him with a delicious chocolate cake after a typically normal quiet Friday night supper.

me

Made it for my husband's birthday and it was really wonderful, a big hit. I used:

- decaf coffee
- Bailey's Irish Cream
- a 9" springform pan, baked for 65 minutes
- dark chocolate chips which I chopped up

We ate it warm with vanilla ice cream.

Vanessa Zambrano

Thanks for the description, Suzzanne. I made this recipe yesterday and it came out perfectly. If you continue to have any issues with the chocolate chips sinking to the bottom you can try this: place the chips on a bowl with some flour first, then take them out with a strainer so you don't get too much flour sticking to them, add the chips to the mix and blend well. They should spread evenly.

juleezee

Use cognac or Armagnac if you don't have or like Irish Whiskey. Skip the cloves (they remind me of unpleasant times at my childhood dentist, clove oil, ugh!) and use a pinch of cardamom or five spice powder instead. It will still be delicious!

Lynn

Note to Shaden - wrap the bottom of your pan (outside) with aluminum foil to prevent leakage.

Eric Henao

Made in Houston, TX. (nov) Came out pretty moist, almost think it was too buttery. Will reduce butter by 2 tablespoons next time. 9" springform needed 20 more minutes. Make sure to stir mixture in springform to distribute the mini chocolate chips in the batter as mine were mostly just in the middle. Might also reduce some sugar and increase more spices, but very tasty cake.

Gary

Made this for the first time. It was terrific. Only had a 9 inch pan, it worked fine just cooked it longer - 70 minutes. The tip on chopping chocolate worked great - 1 cup of chips equals 160 gm for those interested. Everyone loved it and it was amazingly moist. Would definitely make again.

Joni

This cake is incredible. I added 1/4 cup of flour to the batter at the end for high altitude (living a mile high in Colorado) and it was perfect after 65 minutes at 325. Added a little extra clove and some nutmeg and coriander to the dry mix. The spices really make the chocolate taste more complex and special. What a delicious recipe! I will make this again next time I need to impress!

Ro

Hold back 1T of flour and toss it with the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate if you are going that route) before mixing in. It give the add-ins a "grip" or something and they are less prone to sinking to the bottom of the cake.

gloria

I made this with mezcal instead of whiskey and everyone cried, it was so unbelievably good

Gina

I divided this into two 6 inch cake pans with parchment paper rounds at the bottom and a waxed paper “sling” to help lift the cake out when done, topped them with a meringue “crown” that had a bit of dark rum mixed in for a party. Looked good, tasted even better. A big hit!

abbie

Also, it probably doesn’t have to be Irish whiskey. Jack Daniel’s would be fine

DrR

Lovely and easy. Use about 2 ozs chopped bittersweet chocolate Check doneness at 50 mins

Suz in Portland

We used a can of cold brew and it worked well. Bake time of 50 in a 10” springform was a tad too long for our oven. Subbed allspice for cloves. Dense, delicious. Next time will try chopped chocolate bar instead of chips.

Chin

Wow this is a very moist, adult chocolate cake! I put in less butter, less sugar, and more spices like others commented. Also didn’t have enough coffee so I put in a bit of Bailey’s too. Turned out absolutely delectable. Thank you for people who said to put tin foil under the springform pan and flour the chocolate chips!!! Great tips

Nikole

It came together quickly and easily, and the flavor was fine, but nothing amazing? Ina Garten has a chocolate cake recipe that comes out closer to brownie-texture (super moist) that I was hoping this was going to be similar to (it wasn't). We will stick with that one.

Ben M

Used chopped bittersweet chocolate 1 cup mini chocolate chips = 240 grams chocolateSubstituted coffee with 1.5 cups water + 1.5 Tbsp expresso powderCocoa powder, 3/4 cup = 73 g 2 tbsp = 12 g12 tbsp butter = 170 gUsed a bit over 1/4 tsp 5 spice to replace pepper and cloves

Connor E.

I made this for a small dinner party last night using brandy instead of whiskey as some other commenters suggested. Everyone loved it. I had Tillamook white chocolate raspberry ice cream in the fridge that just happened to go perfectly with it. I recommend this recipe around the holidays.

mb

Use brandy and chopped bittersweet chocolate. 60 minutes for 9” pan

Bethany

Left out the cloves and black pepper (my family does not eat chocolate and spices mixed together), used gluten free flour and coconut sugar, and baked in a 9x13. It is marvelous, although I will say the past few nights I haven't been able to sleep. Use decaf coffee! Oh and it doesn't need powdered sugar on top, but whipped cream is a good accompaniment.

Devon

This cake makes any day a holiday. Fabulous.FYI, chocolate chips sank to bottom, even coated with flour. Will try chopped choc next time.**Beefed up the coffee with 1 T espresso powder. **Used gingerbread spice instead of cloves. **Had only 2 eggs, added 60 grams Greek yogurt to sub for the third egg, all was well.

Isabel

I don't get it: Why not simply call 12 tablespoons of butter 153 grams? As if anyone would measure butter in tablespoons...

Megan

Lots of people measure in tablespoons! -- because U.S. butter comes packaged in tablespoons. One stick = 8 tablespoons, so 12 T. is an easy-to-measure 1 1/2 sticks. I love weighted ingredients as much as the next purist, but this isn't a situation where weighted measures would make things easier (at least for a U.S. cook).

Sophie

Deliciously moist, but being no fan of licorice, fennel, anise and the like, I should have thought better of following the advice of replacing the cloves with Chinese fine spice. I used a scant 1/4 tsp and found it overpowering. Next time I think I will just try ginger and a bit of cinnamon. Also dusting the cake with powdered sugar AFTER it is cooled is a must.

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Chocolate Whiskey Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What alcohol goes with chocolate cake? ›

Chocolate cake

If you're wondering what kind of drink to pair with this indulgent dessert, then wine is a great option. Any dessert wine, such as Madeira, Port, Muscat or Riesling, will bring a good balance of sweetness and acidity.

What pairs well with cake? ›

Hot drinks are a classic accompaniment to cake. Whether it's a mug of warm coffee or tea, a hot drink helps to accentuate the sweetness of a piece of cake and bring out its flavors. Coffee is especially good for this, as its natural bitterness acts as a great contrast to the richness of the cake.

What cake to eat with champagne? ›

Light, airy gateaux and airy pastries like mille-feuille. In general these go well with off-dry Champagne which doesn't necessarily mean demi-sec. If the cake isn't too sweet or is accompanied by unsweetened fruits such as raspberries or strawberries you can accompany it with a standard Champagne.

What alcohol goes with coffee cake? ›

Amelia's Alcohol & Cake pairing suggestions:
  • Coffee Cake & Sherry.
  • Red Velvet Cake & Rose Wine.
  • Swiss Roll & Dessert Wine.
  • Ginger Layer Cake & Gin.
  • Salted Caramel & Brown Beer.
  • Chocolate Brownie & Sparkling Wine.
  • Jam Doughnuts & Fruit Beer.

What happens when you add alcohol to cake mix? ›

Baking with booze—such as bourbon, rum, port and vodka—can add additional flavor, texture and even change the consistency of many baked goods.

What happens to alcohol when baked in a cake? ›

Its molecules will evaporate not just when alcohol reaches its boiling point, a chilly 173 degrees Fahrenheit compared to water's 212 degree Fahrenheit boiling point, but any time it is exposed to the air. Despite its ability to dissipate, “it's impossible to cook out all of the alcohol [in a dish],” says McGee.

What two cake flavors go well together? ›

Other Classic Cake Flavor Combinations
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Lemon Buttercream.
  • Apple Pie Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream.
  • Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Frosting.
  • Gingerbread Cake with Mocha Buttercream.
  • Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
  • Dark Chocolate Orange Cake with Chocolate Ganache.
May 26, 2023

What compliments chocolate cake? ›

Just as vanilla cake with chocolate frosting is a classic, the same concept works when the flavors are flipped. A chocolatey cake is wonderfully met with a sweet, mild vanilla filling or frosting. Tart, bright fruits such as orange, lemon, or raspberry can work a wonderful contrast with chocolate.

What wine goes best with chocolate cake? ›

In general, lighter dessert wines such as Sauternes, Riesling and Moscato work best with lighter chocolate desserts, and richer ones such as Tokaji and fortified wines with darker, denser ones.

What not to eat with champagne? ›

Avoid heavy tomato-based sauces. The tomatoes clash with the high acidity of the champagne.

What goes with Christmas cake? ›

Serving cheese with Christmas cake

Traditionally, Yorkshire folks found that the sharp and crumbly Wensleydale cheese worked perfectly either perched on top or eaten alongside a moist, rich slice of Christmas cake.

What liquor pairs well with chocolate cake? ›

Pairing Chocolate and Alcohol
  • Whisky. Like whisky, chocolate comes in a multitude of different varieties, flavours and origins. ...
  • Bourbon. Bourbon also pairs brilliantly with chocolate. ...
  • Rum. Chocolate and rum are both children of the Caribbean so they get on rather well. ...
  • Shiraz. ...
  • Stouts. ...
  • Tequila.
Aug 5, 2015

What is the cake with coffee called? ›

Despite its name, coffee cake doesn't typically contain coffee. Instead, it's a sweet, often spiced, cake that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee. It comes in a variety of flavors, from classic cinnamon streusel to more adventurous combinations like apple custard or pecan praline.

What coffee is best in cake? ›

Instant coffee or espresso is often used in cakes, cookies, and custards, where a small amount can be “activated” by any liquid, even eggs or butter.

Which alcohol goes well with chocolate? ›

Pairing Chocolate with Liquor

Though a few spirits fall out of these categories, it's generally accepted that the six types of distilled spirits are: brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey. Each pairs particularly well with chocolate, but the pairings depend on the blend in question.

What is a good combination with chocolate cake? ›

5 Chocolate Cake Filling and Toppings Ideas
  • Mascarpone cream. Mascarpones make a really great addition to your chocolate cake. ...
  • Raspberry. Raspberries pair so well with chocolate, it's no surprise that we recommend them as a filling and topping for your chocolate cake. ...
  • Lemon. ...
  • Vanilla buttercream. ...
  • Chocolate ganache.
Sep 19, 2022

Which alcohol is best for cake? ›

8 Alcohol Choices to Bake With
  • Amaretto.
  • Bourbon.
  • Champagne.
  • Cream Liqueur.
  • Gin.
  • Red Wine.
  • Rum.
  • Vodka.

What co*cktail goes well with chocolate dessert? ›

Chocolate can pair well things like orange liquors and older whiskeys. There are cognacs that are so pretty and velvety that can go well with a lot of dessert flavors, too.” But his ultimate chocolate pairing is a lot more surprising. With Lindt EXCELLENCE 85% Cocoa, his ideal pairing is reposado tequila or mezcal.

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