Spiced Whiskey Chocolate Cake with Whiskey Caramel Frosting

• Refrigerated

  • 4 Egg whites, large
  • 3 Eggs, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 255 g All-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 100 g Brown sugar, light
  • 3 tsp Cloves, ground
  • 85 g Cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 1 cup Dark chocolate
  • 580 g Granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp Sea salt, fine
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt flakes
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Whiskey caramel

• Drinks

  • 1 1/4 cups Coffee, strong

• Dairy

  • 530 g Butter
  • 150 ml Heavy cream

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 3/4 cup Whiskey

• Other

  • 1½ tbsp ground piment

Found on boxofspice.com

Description

Ingredients

• For the Chocolate Cake
• 255 grams all-purpose flour
• 180 grams butter
• 85 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1¼ cups strong coffee
• ½ cup whiskey
• 200 grams granulated sugar
• 100 grams light brown sugar
• 1½ tsps baking soda
• ¾ tsp fine sea salt
• 3-4 tsp ground cloves
• 1½ tbsp ground piment
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1 cup dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
• For the Caramel Sauce
• 150 ml heavy cream
• 200 grams granulated sugar
• 100 grams cold butter, in cubes
• ½ tsp sea salt flakes
• 2 tbsp whiskey
• For the Whiskey Caramel Frosting
• 4 large egg whites
• 180 grams granulated sugar
• 250 grams butter, at roomtemperature, cut in cubes
• ½ cup whiskey caramel (recipe above)
• 2 tbsps whiskey

Directions

• To prepare the cake, preheat oven to 160°C. Butter two 7-inch springform pans. Dust with cocoa powder.
• In a medium saucepan on low heat, warm coffee, whiskey, butter and remaining cocoa powder, whisking occasionally, until butter is melted. Whisk in the sugars until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, pepper and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Slowly whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Add dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in the dark chocolate.
• Divide batter into your prepared pans. Transfer to oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
• Once completely cool cut each cake into half using a large serrated knife. Dont worry if it not completely even!
• For the caramel sauce, gently warm the cream in a small saucepan. Set aside.
• Put the sugar in another saucepan and heat on medium high until the sugar starts melting around the edges. Carefully swirl the sugar with a heatproof spoon until all the sugar has melted.
• Add the butter, piece by piece, and stir until melted. Carefully add the warm cream (it will bubble up so be careful!) little by little and stir until smooth.
• Pour caramel into a jar and let cool 10 minutes before adding salt and whiskey. Cool completely.
• To make the whiskey caramel frosting, pour egg whites and sugar in a double boiler. The bowl should fit snugly, and the water should not be touching the bowl.
• Whisk the sugar and eggs with a whisk constantly until the mixture reaches about 65°C. Just rub some mixture between your fingers. If the sugar has melted and the mixture is hot to the touch, its ready.
• Remove the bowl from the heat, beat until white, fluffy and cool with an electric mixer. This step can take about 5-10 minutes.
• When the bowl feels cool to the touch, start adding the butter, piece by piece. Add the caramel and beat until completely smooth. Finally add the whiskey and mix to incorporate.
• To put the cake together, put one layer (you should have 4) of the chocolate cake on a cake stand and add ⅓ of the frosting and even it out. Place another layer on top and repeat the process till your final layer has been placed. Use the remaining frosting to cover the cake on all sides. Ive frosted to get a naked cake effect but you could completely cover the cake on all sides if you like.
• Pour some of the remaining caramel on top of your frosted cake. How much you use is up to you!
• I have used dried autumn leaves but you could decorate it however you please...