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.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ultra moist texture thanks to the coffee and whiskey syrup soak.
- Deep chocolate flavor using unsweetened cocoa powder and brewed coffee.
- Simple from-scratch ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
- Perfect balance of flavors – rich chocolate, warm whiskey, and a hint of cinnamon.
- Beautiful presentation baked in a classic.
- Bundt pan. Even better, the next day, as the syrup continues to soak into the cake.
Tips for Making Made from Scratch Whiskey Cake
- Use freshly brewed coffee. Coffee intensifies chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. It simply deepens the cocoa richness.
- Since this recipe uses unsweetened cocoa powder, it plays a big role in the flavor.
- Avoid Dutch-process since the baking soda needs natural cocoa to react properly.
- A 10-inch Bundt pan should be heavily greased and then dusted with cocoa powder instead of flour. This prevents sticking and keeps the cake beautifully dark.
- After baking, wrap the cake in foil and pour the warm whiskey syrup over it.
- The foil helps the syrup slowly absorb, making the cake incredibly moist.
- Allow the cake to sit wrapped for at least an hour.
- Overnight is even better for a deeper flavor.
- The butter in both the cake and syrup adds richness and helps the whiskey flavor mellow into the chocolate. This allows the cake to absorb the syrup more evenly
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
A rich, coffee-kissed chocolate cake soaked in a buttery Irish whiskey syrup.If you love deep chocolate flavor with a warm, spirited finish, this Irish Whiskey Chocolate Bundt Cake is a dessert worth celebrating.
Moist, bold, and intensely chocolaty, this cake combines brewed coffee, unsweetened cocoa, and a generous splash of Irish whiskey or bourbon to create a bakery-quality cake right in your own kitchen.
What makes this cake especially irresistible is the buttery whiskey syrup that is poured over the warm cake and allowed to soak in.
Wrapping the cake in foil lets the syrup absorb slowly, infusing every bite with rich flavor and incredible moisture. The result is a decadent dessert that feels elegant enough for holidays yet simple enough to make anytime you want something special.
Perfect for celebrations like St. Patrick’s Day or as a show-stopping dinner party dessert, this cake brings together bold chocolate and warm whiskey notes in a way that feels indulgent but comforting at the same time.
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.
Pin for later Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake
More Recipes We Love
Semi-Homemade Red Velvet CakeCopycat Spanish Bar Cake
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2020.