Ritz Carlton Chocolate Bourbon Cake Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment circles and spray thoroughly with nonstick baking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large measuring cup, blend the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend the melted butter and oil on low speed until incorporated. Mix in the coffee and bourbon. Slowly add the flour mixture; mix until smooth. Add the egg mixture and mix until thoroughly blended.
• Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
• While cakes are in the oven, whip up the filling: Melt the baking chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the salted butter and granulated sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Drizzle in the melted chocolate and vanilla and whip until combined. Adjust the mixer to medium speed and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 5 full minutes between each addition. Once the eggs are incorporated, chill the filling for 30 minutes to firm up.
• For the ganache: Place the bittersweet chocolate in a metal bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream just to a boil, then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
• To assemble the cake: Level and split the cake layers with a serrated knife. Layer the ganache and filling alternately to build an attractive layer cake. Chill the cake completely, then pour lukewarm ganache over the top, allowing plenty to drip down the sides of the cake.
• When you can't hold back any longer, slice and enjoy!

Steps:

• Soak currants in bourbon and water overnight, or heat liquid and let currants soak for 1 hour.
• Beat egg yolks and confectioners' sugar to full volume, until thick and lemon colored and mixture forms a ribbon.
• In a clean bowl, with clean beaters, beat whites, gradually adding granulated sugar, t soft peaks.
• Add yolks to whites and mix at medium speed. Add melted butter until incorporated.
• Remove from mixer and fold in melted chocolate, walnuts, and currants (with 2 tablespoons of liquid they soaked in).
• Add flavorings and fold in cake flour. Pour into a greased and floured 9-inch springform pan lined with baking parchment.
• Place pan on a large sheet of heavy-duty foil wrap and shape to contour of pan at least halfway up. Bake in a water bath (a roasting pan filled halfway with water will do) at 275° about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a knife poked in center is just a little moist. Don't be alarmed by crust forming on top; the top will be turned over and become the bottom.
• When cake is cool, remove from pan and turn over. Melt the remaining 8 ounces of chocolate and the butter separately. Add the butter to the chocolate and mix well.
• Pour over the cake, frost top and sides and refrigerate until firm.

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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).
• 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.

Steps:

• Preheat convection oven to 325° F (or 350° for regular oven). Prepare a bundt pan by buttering and flouring it. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine together cake mix, pudding mix, bourbon, water, butter, applesauce, coffee powder, and eggs. Mix gently until dry ingredients are wet. Scrape bowl & beaters. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. If using stir in mini chocolate chips by hand. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
• Invert onto a cake rack set over a plate large enough to fully cover the bottom of the cake. Remove bundt pan. Let cool until lukewarm.
• For optional glaze, combine powdered sugar and corn syrup (or Lyle's golden syrup or honey) in a medium bowl. Stir together adding enough cream (1/2-n-1/2 and/or milk) to make smooth and pourable.
• Pour glaze over cake. (Note: The idea is to fully cover the cake with white glaze so the chocolate stripes stand out. This is totally optional. If the glaze is rather thin, repeat the last step as follows: Holding by the rack, move the cake & rack over to a second plate large enough to fully cover the bottom. Pour the excess glaze that dripped onto first plate, over the cake. Repeat as necessary to achieve a glaze of desired thickness and/or coverage.) Let set about 5-10 minutes before drizzling chocolate.
• Melt chocolate and stir until smooth. Place in the bottom corner of a disposable plastic baggie. Make a very small cut in the corner of the bag, to allow a thin line of chocolate.
• Drizzle back and forth over top of cake. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. Alternatively leave out overnight to set the chocolate.

Steps:

• MAKE COFFEE-BOURBON SYRUP:.
• Bring sugar, eater and coffee to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Cook 5 minutes; remove from heat & stir in bourbon.
• MAKE CHOCOLATE-BOURBON CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Grease a 9- x 2-inch cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and set aside.
• Combine bourbon and sugar in a large saucepan; bring mixture to a boil.
• Remove from heat, and add chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.
• Set aside, and let cool to room temperature.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, until very well blended.
• Fold in flour and 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pan.
• Set pan in a large roasting pan filled to depth of 1 inch with hot water.
• Bake at 375°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting with Coffee-Bourbon Syrup every 15 minutes after a crust has developed on cake's surface.
• Cool cake; cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
• Transfer cake onto a serving plate, and dust with remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
• Top with hazelnuts.
• ENJOY!