Every year, we love to be Irish for a day, being Italian we love all kinds of Irish foods made to celebrate the Patron Saint, St. Patrick especially Guinness Corned Beef, and if there are any leftovers our favorite Simple Reubens Sandwich made with that same corned beef.
Americans, in general, love festive parties and this cake is just one of the menu items we traditionally make every year.
Mom always made a great Bacardi cake made with a cake mix with rum and this is very similar to that recipe and how it's made.
Hopefully, with my simple instructions step by step photos, you will see just how easy this is to make.
The cake does taste better with age and the alcohol really keeps this delicious cake fresh for weeks in the refrigerator.
Chocolate cake is always a welcome dessert in our home and you could take this to any festive adult party any time of the year and not just on St. Patty's Day.
If you love Irish foods, do check out my Best St. Patrick's Day Roundup of Recipes and make some of our favorites!
Scroll down to this wonderful chocolate cake recipe and print it off.
Chocolate Bundt Cake
Bundt cakes are easy to transport and pretty easy to make with a few tips.
This cake can be made in any kind of pan, however, the easiest way to serve it is in slices is using a bundt pan
The recipe dates back to the early 1960s and mom always used a tube angel food cake pan and not quite so pretty.
Read all my tips below before making this cake for the best results.
Also, I think of this is the original whiskey poke cake since you do poke holes in it and it's filled with this rich sugary alcohol syrup.
The cake is similar to the ones we have had on the cruise ships years ago.
During the year, we love taking a short cut and instead of making this cake from scratch, we use mom's recipe for the old fashioned cake mix pound cake recipe made with rum.
Ingredients You Will Need To Make Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements
- unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus 3 tablespoons for dusting pan
- brewed coffee
- Irish Whiskey or Bourbon
- unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- sugar
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- large eggs
- vanilla
- cinnamon
- Syrup
- Irish Whiskey or Bourbon
- granulated sugar
- butter
- water
- lemon juice and a pinch of cinnamon
Tools To Have Ready for making Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake Recipe
- Aluminum Foil
- Deep Cookie Sheet or large deep pan
- Glass measuring cups large and small
- Small saucepan
- Measuring spoons
- Electric hand mixer
- Spatula
- Large spoon
- Whisk
- Bundt pan, tube pan or sheet cake pan 13 x 9
- Skewers or thicker threading appetizer toothpicks
Tips
- Bundt pans need to be heavily greased and also dusted with either flour or use unsweetened cocoa powder
- Cool the cake to warm before pouring the warmed syrup on top or the cake will split
- Line a deep enough cookie sheet with your foil to catch any spillage
- Make sure you have enough foil in a criss-cross style to fold up the sides to completely cover the cake after you pour this syrup on it
- Poke holes in the cake randomly on the top and sides
- If using a 13 x 9 pan and proceed the same way by poking the holes in it on top
More Cake Recipes To Try
Coconut Cream Poke Cake
Banana Cake with Mocha Ganache
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Boston Cream Cake with Rum
Pin for later Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake
Celebrations
This Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake is perfect for any celebration, it holds up well and can be made days ahead of time.
No matter what you're celebrating, everyone that loves a little adult beverage now and again will love the taste of this cake.
This recipe is really easy and anyone who loves Irish Whiskey will thank you later!
Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake Recipe
Yield: 12
Prep time: 15 MCook time: 45 MTotal time: 60 M
This is a homemade all from scratch Chocolate Whiskey Cake made. The cake is very moist and a pure adult style cake that's soaked with this alcohol.
The cake is usually served in observance of the Patron St. Patrick on St. Patricks Day.
The cake is usually served in observance of the Patron St. Patrick on St. Patricks Day.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus 3 tablespoons for dusting pan
- 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee
- 1/2 cup Irish Whiskey or Bourbon
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- dash of cinnamon
- 10-inch bundt heavily greased and dusted with unsweetened cocoa powder
- Aluminum Foil to wrap the cake in and catch the whiskey mixture
- Syrup
- 1/4 cup Irish Whiskey or Bourbon
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of cinnamon
Instructions:
How to cook Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake Recipe
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Butter bundt pan well, then dust with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder.
- Heat coffee, bourbon, butter, cinnamon, and the remaining cup of cocoa powder in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking, until butter is melted.
- Remove from heat, then add sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and cool for 5 minutes.
- While the chocolate mixture cools, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then whisk into the cooled chocolate mixture until combined well.
- Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined (batter will be thin and bubbly).
- Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Cool the cake for around 10 minutes.
- When the cake is almost done, prepare the syrup.
- Loosen the cake from the pan using the tip of a plastic dinner knife, then invert on a large cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil in a criss-cross style big enough to catch the dripping of the syrup.
- Syrup:
- Combine sugar, butter, water, and lemon juice, and spice in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil slowly, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of Irish whiskey or bourbon.
- Cool for around 8 to 10 minutes.
- Poke holes in the cake using a skewer or long bamboo kabob stick of still-warm cake.
- Drizzle syrup very slowly over the cake, being careful that too much does not run into any cracks on top of the cake.
- Bring foil up around the cake and wrap it securely.
- Cake may be served when completely cool, or stored in an airtight container overnight as it does taste the best as it ages.
- Cake may be wrapped securely in foil and stored in the refrigerator for several weeks or in a freezer for up to six months.
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More Recipes We Love
Semi-Homemade Red Velvet Cake
Copycat Spanish Bar Cake
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2020.
