Chocolate Gin Cake Recipe
Tender, soft, and delicous chocolate cake infused with gin
Ingredients
- 2 Cups AP Flour (240 g / 8.5 oz)
- 1/2 Cup Cake Flour (60 g / 2 oz)
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 Cup Unsweetened chocolate ( 85 g / 3 oz)
- 1/2 Cup +1 TBS Unsweetened Cocoa powder (56 g / 2 oz)
- 3/4 Cup Hot Coffee (180 ml)
- 1/4 Cup Gin (60 ml)
- 1/2 Cup Full fat sour cream (120 g / 120 ml)
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter softened (226 g / 8 oz)
- 2 1/2 Cup Sugar (550 g / 17 oz)
- 4 Large Eggs, room temperature
Chocolate Glaze
- 1 Cup Dark chocolate (72% or up) (170 g / 6 oz)
- 1 TBS Vegetable Shortening
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8" loaf pans or line with parchment paper and set aside.
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In a medium bowl, sift the AP flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to evenly distribute and set aside.
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Chop the unsweetened chocolate into small pieces and place in a medium bowl; add the cocoa powder.
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Pour the hot coffee over the chocolate and cocoa powder and allow 1-2 minutes for the hot coffee to melt the chocolate.
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Gently stir the chocolate coffee mix using a fork until a smooth mixture is formed.
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Add gin and sour cream to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
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In a bowl of a standing mixer, beat the sugar and butter on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
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Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, waiting for each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next.
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Add the flour in three additions alternating with the chocolate sour cream mix.
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After adding the last portion of the flour, turn the mixer off and use a rubber spatula to incorporate any flour or egg residue.
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Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs from the center of the cakes.
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from pans.
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Once the cakes have cooled, invert them and set them on a serving dish or a cooling rack that is placed on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper.
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Melt the chocolate and vegetable shortening and glaze the cakes.
Recipe Notes
- Opt for a high-quality gin that boasts well-balanced botanical flavors. The gin's essence should harmonize with the chocolate rather than overpower it.
- Always use a kitchen scale, or spoon the ingredients into a measuring cup and level it with a knife if unavailable. This technique prevents the cake from becoming overly dense.
- Ensure that you finely chop the chocolate so it melts quickly when combined with the coffee. If you find any chocolate chunks that haven't melted, gently warm the gin and then incorporate it into the chocolate mixture
- Do not be concerned about incorporating hot coffee into the mixture. This step facilitates the chocolate's melting and the cocoa powder's blooming, unleashing their full flavors.
- Allow the cake to cool for approximately 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.
- This recipe produces two loaf cakes measuring 8 or 9 inches or one bundt cake in a 12-cup pan. The crucial point is ensuring the pan is not filled beyond three-quarters of its capacity. Alternatively, you can prepare it as a layer cake using three 8-inch round cake tins or four 6-inch round pans.
- Instead of ganache, you can crown the cake with a delicate drizzle of powdered sugar icing or a gin-infused glaze. Blend one cup of powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of gin to create the gin glaze. For a "Boozy Cake," concoct a gin syrup by simmering 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of gin, and one cup of sugar until the sugar dissolves. Utilize a pastry brush to infuse the cake with the syrup. It's important to note that both alternatives are not suitable for children.
- Before applying ganache or syrup to the cake, delicately insert a toothpick to create small holes.