Chocolate Bourbon Cake Wcaramel Whipped Cream Recipes

CHOCOLATE BOURBON CAKE

Steps:

• Head on over to Epicurious for instructions. (Use the teaspoon of instant espresso powder and the 1 ½ cups of water instead of coffee).
• Add cream, butter, espresso powder, vanilla and salt into a saucepan, bring to a boil and stir until you have a uniform consistency.
• Take off the heat and add the Bourbon.
• Pour the hot cream mix over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute.
• Stir together until everything is well combined and no chocolate clumps remain. (You may need to heat the mixture over a pot of hot water to get rid of the last pieces of chocolate).
• Pour over the cake and let set.
• Serve with whipped cream and/or raspberry jam.

CHOCOLATE BOURBON CAKE WITH CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• for frosting: Stir sugar and water in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar disolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup turns a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pot with wet pastry brush (about 12 minutes). Add 2 c. whipping cream (mixture will bubble up). Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 c. cream and stir until all caramel bits are melted and mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes. Pour into large bowl and refrigerate overnight (can be made 2 days ahead). for cake: Preheat oven to 350. Butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch high sides. Add parchement paper to bottoms and butter them. Dust with cocoa. -Melt unsweetened chocolate chips slowly on low power in microwave. Set aside to cool. -Sift cake flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. -Beat unsalted butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla. Mix in 1 c. boiling water and blend well. Divide between cake pans. Bake about 35 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (can be made 2 days ahead). Beat frosting to stiff peaks. Add 1 Tbsp. bourbon. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally, creating 4 layers. Place one layer on cake plate. Brush with 2 Tbsp. bourbon and then frost. Repeat process with remaining layers and then frost outside. Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate.

BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• In a chilled small glass bowl and using chilled beaters, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar, bourbon and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY CAKES WITH BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut out 4 rounds of parchment paper to fit just inside bottom of each mold, then set rounds aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, then brush molds with some of it. Line bottom of each mold with a round of parchment and brush parchment with some melted butter. Chill molds 5 minutes (to set butter), then brush parchment and side of each mold with more melted butter. Chill molds 5 minutes more. Dust molds with flour, knocking out excess, and set aside.
• Simmer cranberries and 1/4 cup bourbon in a small saucepan over low heat until cranberries are tender and bourbon is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Melt chocolate and remaining stick butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.
• Pulse pecans with flour (2 tablespoons) in a food processor until finely ground, being careful not to process to a paste.
• Beat together yolks and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Add chocolate mixture and beat until just combined, then stir in pecan mixture and cranberries.
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl using cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter among molds (they will be very full), then put molds in a shallow baking pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a cake comes out with tip wet and remainder of pick dry, about 25 minutes. (Batter will rise above rims but will not spill over.) Transfer cakes to a rack and cool in molds 30 minutes. (Cakes will continue to set as they cool.)
• Beat cream with confectioners sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons bourbon in a small bowl using cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks.
• Remove side from each mold, then slide each cake from bottom onto a dessert plate, discarding parchment. Lightly dust each cake with confectioners sugar and serve with a dollop of bourbon whipped cream.