St. Patrick's Day Treat: Chocolate Cake Made With Stout-Cask Finished Whiskey

Whiskey and chocolate share a special synergy, similar to classic pairings like vodka and caviar, wine and cheese, and champagne and oysters. This recipe showcases the harmony achieved between whisky and chocolate in a simple bundt cake. The whiskey and coffee ingredients create a moist, slightly dense crumb with a boozy heft, enrobed in a whiskey caramel glaze, for a comforting, bittersweet flavor.

Because this recipe uses a large amount of melted chocolate, aim to use a quality brand such as Guittard, Valrhona, and Ghirardelli. A semi-sweet chocolate (60-65% cocoa solids) can work well with the mocha, coffee, and chocolate flavors associated with a stout-cask finished whiskey, like New Holland's Dragon’s Milk Beer Barrel bourbon. It has stout-like malted notes that work beautifully with the bittersweet complexity of the cake’s chocolate backbone and coffee flavors.

Though most bourbons or even a rye on the sweeter side would also be suitable, the stout cask finish’s undertones of coffee, mocha, and dark chocolate work best here. A particularly good selection would be American single malt Virginia Distilling Co. The Brewer’s Coalition Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Cask. Our panel found caramelized sweetness and chocolate-covered espresso beans on the palate, complementing the cake’s other ingredients while proving to be a less sweet option than bourbon. The Whistler’s Imperial Stout Cask, an Irish blend finished in Boyne Brewhouse casks for 6 months, is another less-sweet addition with a lingering mocha and malty chocolate finish. Bardstown Bourbon Co. Collaborative Series Goose Island bourbon is a bit too pricy to use in the recipe itself, but makes for a superb dram to enjoy along with a warm slice of this cake.

Chocolate Whiskey Bundt Cake

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¾ tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. Instant espresso powder
• ¾ cup Dragon’s Milk Beer Barrel bourbon (or other stout-cask finished whiskey)
• ½ cup hot brewed coffee
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 ½ Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Grease a 10-cup bundt pan. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. of cocoa powder into the pan to evenly distribute, shaking out excess. This creates a non-stick barrier as the cake bakes, while not discoloring the sponge.

Whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler. Set aside.

Whisk together espresso powder, whiskey, coffee, sour cream, and cocoa powder. The hot coffee helps the cocoa powder bloom, releasing more flavor. Add the melted chocolate. Set aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, beat the sugars and butter until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at time, mix on low, and scrape the bowl down after each addition.

Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, mixing on low until just combined. Scrape down the bowl before adding ⅓ of the wet ingredients. Repeat 2 more times until all the ingredients are added, careful not to overmix.

Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan while you make the syrup.

Whiskey Syrup

• 6 Tbsp. butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup Dragon’s Milk Beer Barrel bourbon (or other stout-cask finished whiskey)
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Bring butter, sugar, whiskey, and salt to a boil over medium heat. Let boil without stirring until reduced slightly, about 4-6 minutes.

Using a fork, pierce holes all over the top of the warm cake still in the pan.

Pour ½ the syrup over, allow it to soak in and then repeat with remaining syrup.

Let cool in the pan for at least 4 hours, allowing ample time for syrup to soak into the cake.

Loosen from pan, turn onto a cake plate or board.

Whiskey Caramel

• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
• ¼ cup butter
• Pinch of flaky sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. Dragon’s Milk Beer Barrel bourbon (or other stout-cask finished whiskey)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat the sugar and water in a medium pot over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally for the first minutes to encourage melting. Do not mix, this will risk crystallization.

Let cook until a deep amber and wisps of smoke arise. Turn off the heat and remove from the burner.

Slowly add the heavy cream, whisking continuously. Add the butter and salt, whisk until combined. Whisk in the bourbon and vanilla. Let cool completely.

Pour generously over soaked whiskey cake.

Cake keeps for up to 5 days tightly wrapped at room temperature.

TIPS

Not enough chocolate? Pair this cake with one of these chocolate whiskey cocktails for the ultimate indulgence.

Not sure which stout cask-finished whisky to use? Use this guide to select a perfect match.

More Notes on Chocolate and Whisky

Chocolate, much like whisky, is made from just a few ingredients but varies greatly depending on how it’s made. The three general types of chocolate are dark, milk, white, and notes of their respective raw ingredients can be found across all whiskey styles. A peaty single malt scotch can convey flavors of dark cocoa powder or cocoa nibs, while notes of milk chocolate’s sweet creaminess may linger in a bourbon. You might find the smooth, rich mouthfeel of white chocolate, which is a symphony of milk, sugar, and cocoa butter, in an Irish or Japanese blend.

Don’t know where to start? Pairing whisky and chocolate is the perfect way to expose the senses to all this dynamic duo has to offer. Though some general guiding principles remain true, it's a subjective playground that should be approached with an empty stomach and curious mind.