Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake is a lovely dessert with a luscious chocolate ganache glaze poured over the top, a delight for your family and friends. I know everyone at our house requested a second piece and I happily complied. This is one amazing bundt cake!
Chocolate cake is always popular and so are bundt cakes … bundts are easy to make and automatically decorated with attractive designs. When you add some bourbon and a chocolate ganache poured over the top, this baby is seriously dangerous!
This recipe calls for Dutch-processed cocoa powder (or dark cocoa) and it is important to use this kind of cocoa. The baking soda in the batter doesn’t play well with natural cocoa (like Hershey’s) and your cake could wind up tasting like soap. So go out and grab a container of Dutch/dark cocoa if you don’t already have it on hand. You will need 65 grams … you will see the weight on the label to help you be sure you buy enough.
Even though you add coffee and bourbon to the cake batter, neither is a bold flavor in the finished cake. The coffee makes the chocolate more prominent and the bourbon adds a hint of something you can’t quite name. Together they give you an amazing tasting cake. If you prefer, you can substitute hot water for the coffee and/or the bourbon. The cake will still be delightful.
If you are gluten-free, you might be surprised to see bourbon in the cake batter. Hard liquors have been proven to be safe*** because of the distilling process. If you are still worried, you can use potato vodka plus a little brown sugar to approximate the flavor of the bourbon. All the goodness with no chance of issues for those with Celiac or gluten-intolerance.
If you’re like me and over sprayed the pan, remove any excess vegetable spray so it isn’t puddling in the bottom of the indentations. If you prefer, butter the pan thoroughly by hand and you won’t have any issues.
This makes a smaller bundt cake, so you can use one of your lower volume pans. I used my large one and it came about 2/3 of the way up the pan when it was done baking making this a shorter cake. Some designs take less batter to fill them and this would be a good recipe to use one of those.
Because of the depth, bundt cakes take a bit longer to bake, just under an hour in this case. Some take longer, some less. Use the toothpick test to be sure. When it comes out clean, the cake is done.
When cutting this cake, heat the knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and make your first cut. Clean off the knife, run it under the hot water again and wipe dry. Repeat this for each cut you make to get the cleanest slices of cake. Your plates will look like they came straight from a bakery!
The ganache has a little corn syrup in it which adds a touch of shine to the final frosting. It flows beautifully over the cake and firms up a bit with some time to rest.
I hope you give this Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake a try. It is easy to make and is stunning to serve. The ganache is lovely and adds just the right amount of extra chocolate to every bite. This is a true crowd pleaser!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake:
- Cake: sugar, flour, Dutch cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, hot coffee, bourbon (or hot water)
- Ganache: semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, cream, light corn syrup (optional), vanilla (optional)
PRO Tip:
With bundt cakes it is imperative that you fully grease/butter/spray the entire interior of the pan. Every single nook and cranny! This guarantees the cake will easily release when you turn it out.
How to make Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake:
- Make the Cake: Make sure all the required ingredients are at room temperature. Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of your mixer and set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk the melted butter with the sour cream, buttermilk, and eggs. Using your mixer, combine the dry ingredients with the liquids until blended. Then mix in the coffee and bourbon (or water). Scrape the bowl well.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into a greased 10-inch bundt (25 cm) pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan 15 minutes then invert the cake onto a serving plate and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream and corn syrup (if using) over med heat until small bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan and steam comes up off the surface. Do not let it boil.
- Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit 5 minutes to begin melting. Whisk slowly from the center outward until the chocolate is fully melted and there are no more streaks. It will be smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the Ganache: Cool about 10 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Transfer to a measuring cup with a spout and pour over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. You won’t use all the ganache. Let the cake sit a while to allow the ganache to set up before slicing.
- You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. See the Pro Tip below. Reheat gently in the microwave in 10-second intervals.
PRO Tip:
The ganache will be pouring off a spoon easily at the beginning of the resting period but will thicken as it cools. You can judge the thickness as it cools so you know when it is at the perfect consistency for pouring over the cake. And then the leftover ganache will help you know when to cut the cake!
PRO Tip:
If your cream isn’t hot enough to fully melt the chocolate, you can put the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water in the bottom. Stir occasionally to see when the chocolate is starting to melt, then pull it off the heat and whisk until smooth and glossy.
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Gluten-Free Tips:
* You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 (blue bag), or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.
** My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s or another brand you will likely not need as much because they are saltier.
*** The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free (https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/is-it-gluten-free/liquor/). But some distillers may use caramel coloring or flavorings which sometimes contain gluten. For some very sensitive people this may cause issues. If you are making this recipe for a very reactive person, or if they have Celiac disease, you can use potato vodka mixed with two tsp brown sugar in place of the bourbon called for.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake (GF)
Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake is a lovely dessert with a luscious chocolate ganache glaze poured over the top, a delight for your family and friends. I know everyone at our house requested a second piece and I happily cut more. This is one amazing bundt cake!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1-3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 1-3/4 cups (210g*) gluten-free* all-purpose flour blend or regular all-purpose flour like Gold Medal brand
- 3/4 cup (65g) Dutch-processed or dark cocoa powder, NOT natural cocoa, like Hershey’s
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt**
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 113g) unsalted butter, melted and set aside to cool slightly
- 3/4 cup (170g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113g) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature***
- 1/4 cup (57g) hot brewed coffee, or hot water
- 1/4 cup (57g) bourbon**** at room temperature, or use hot water
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- 2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate, chopped (you can use up to 2-2/3 cups (454g); the more chocolate you use, the thicker the ganache)
- 1 cup (227g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp (39g) corn syrup or golden syrup, optional
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
1. Bring everything out of the refrigerator that needs to be at room temperature, measure each one, and let them sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to warm up.
2. Make the Cake Batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 10-inch (25 cm) bundt pan thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the slightly cooled butter, sour cream, and buttermilk, and then the eggs.
5. Set the bowl with the dry ingredients on your mixer using the whisk attachment or whisk by hand. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Add the coffee and bourbon or water, and whisk until the batter is completely combined. Scrape the bowl and blend again as needed until smooth. The batter will be on the thin side.
6. Bake the Cake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bundt cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a serving plate, place on a wire rack, and let it cool completely (feel in the center for lingering warmth).
7. Make the Chocolate Ganache: Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan heat the cream and corn syrup (if using) over med heat. Stirring often, bring it to a simmer with small bubbles around the edge of the pan and steam coming up from the surface. Do not let it boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in the bowl and let it sit 5 minutes to get mostly melted.
8. Using a whisk, starting in the center and stir, moving outward in concentric circles until all the cream has been incorporated and the mixture is glossy and smooth. Stir in the vanilla now if using. Let it sit about 10 minutes.
9. Pour into a measuring cup with a spout or pitcher for the easiest pouring. Use the ganache while it is still slightly warm, but beginning to thicken.
10. Glaze the Cake: Slowly pour the ganache over the top of the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides onto the plate. Reheat if it thickens too much as you work by reheating in the microwave or over a pan of hot water. Store any leftover ganache in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week – it is delicious over ice cream!
11. Let the ganache firm up for about 30 to 60 minutes then slice the cake using a hot sharp knife. For the cleanest slices, run the knife under hot water, wipe dry, and make your cut. Clean the knife, run under hot water again, and wipe dry before making your next cut. Repeat this for each cut you make.
12. Serve and enjoy every bite!
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
* You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.
** My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s or another brand you will likely not need as much because they are saltier.
*** To easily and safely warm the eggs to room temperature, fill a bowl with very hot tap water and add the whole eggs. Leave them in the water for about 10 to 15 minutes and they will be warm enough for use in your recipes.
****The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. Some distillers may use caramel coloring or flavorings which sometimes contain gluten. For very sensitive people this may cause issues. If you are making this recipe for a very reactive person or if they have Celiac disease, you can use potato vodka plus a little brown sugar in place of the bourbon.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Adapted from I Am Baker and King Arthur Baking recipes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 574Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 23gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 656mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 7gSugar: 31gProtein: 9g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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