Whiskey Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Coconut Ganache

There are lots of things to do with a bottle of whiskey with whiskey cocktails usually topping the list.  But what about cooking with it?  That’s easy to do and there’s more to life than just a nice whiskey sauce.  A perfect example is this whiskey chocolate cake complete with chocolate coconut ganache.  Ready to get started?

What’s the best whiskey to use?

There’s no shortage of options when it comes to types of whiskey but for this kind of recipe, you want something that is full-flavoured and not a blended whiskey.  A single malt Scotch or Irish whiskey will be great.  Even a bourbon such as Jack Daniels will work well as it will carry through the flavour.  You can even buy one or two of those miniature bottles if you aren’t a big whiskey drinker and don’t want to buy a full 70cl bottle.

What’s the difference between ganache and frosting?

Ganache uses an even mixture of chocolate and cream or a similar ingredient (in this case coocnut milk) to create a creamier and richer topping for the cake.  You also heat it up to make it which isn’t a required step for frosting.  You do need to make the ganache and let it cool completely before adding to the cake but then it will have a lovely thick consistency.

What you need to make Whiskey Chocolate Cake

• Eggs
• White granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Sour cream
• Vegetable oil
• Water
• Whiskey
• Pure vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Bittersweet chocolate

Ganache:

• Semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• Canned coconut milk
• Whiskey
• Salt

Garnish:  

• Chocolate or White Chocolate Shavings and/or Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries

How to make the recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray two 8” round cake pans with baking spray and line them each with a piece of parchment paper.

Add eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed until combined.  In another bowl combine sour cream, vegetable oil, water, whiskey, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  

Alternate folding flour mixture and wet ingredients into the egg mixture just until combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.

Finally, fold in the chunked bittersweet chocolate and pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Place in the oven and bake until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, around 33-38 minutes depending on your oven.

Cool in pans for 30 minutes then turn onto a cooling wire rack until completely cool.  

While the cake is cooling, place semi-sweet chocolate in a medium bowl.

Heat the coconut milk in the microwave or on the stovetop just until it boils.  Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate.

Allow the mixture to sit for 2 minutes, then stir with a whisk until a smooth and glossy ganache forms.

Add 2 T whiskey and salt. Continue whisking just until combined.

Once the cake is fully cooled to room temperature, spread a thin layer of ganache in between layers then frost the rest of the cake with the whiskey ganache. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, white chocolate or berries on top, if desired, 

Storing the recipe

You can store the cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  If you use cream instead of coconut milk, you might want to keep it in the fridge if it is a warm time of the year but otherwise, the chocolate mixture on the top of the cake should be fine at room temperature.

Recipe tips

Use good quality chocolate in the cake and topping because otherwise, it will spoil the taste and the whiskey can overwhelm it.  Favourite options include Ghiradelli or Nestle chocolate chips.

This cake tastes best when prepared one day in advance.

You can also place a thin layer of jam and fresh fruit between the layer of cake as a tasty variation.