Chocolate Whiskey Cake

Makes 1 10” cake

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces each
1 healing tablespoon unsalted butter for the pan
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa butter for the pan
1½ cups strongly brewed coffee
½ cup whiskey
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (undivided)
1 scant cup light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon fresh black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar for garnish or decoration

1 10” springform pan

1. Preheat oven to 325°
2. Butter springform pan and dust with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat coffee, whiskey, 12 tablespoons of butter pieces and the remaining cocoa powder, whisking occasionally until the butter has melted.
4. Add the chocolate chips.
5. When the chips have melted, whisk in the sugars.
6. When the sugars are dissolved and the mixture is well blended, remove the pan from the heat and let cool thoroughly.
7. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, pepper and cloves.
8. In a smaller bowl whisk together the vanilla and the eggs.
9. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture.
10. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and continue whisking until the batter is smooth.
11. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. When a toothpick inserted into the cake Insert a toothpick can be removed cleanly, the cake is done.
12. Remove cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Remove the sides of the springform pan and place on a serving dish.
13. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired.

Variation: Make a stencil of your choosing, perhaps a Christmas tree and carefully place it on the top of the cake. Put confectioner’s sugar into a sprinkle container or bottle and dust that portion of the cake not covered with the stencil.