Chocolate Hazelnut Whiskey Cake
Fondant and all sorts of pastry-related art are beautiful, but to me, the best cakes are simple. Full of flavour of course, but nothing too complicated. Think Betty Crocker chocolate fudge, but maybe with a little less sugar and some popping candy.
This cake was a birthday cake for a special someone, but you can definitely have this any day of the week. It’s inspired by tiramisu (that someone’s favourite type of cake) and chocolate cake (my favourite), so it’s definitely a easy crowdpleaser. Plus - it just takes an hour to pull together! If you’re making this for a bigger crowd (or you’re just a little hungrier), double the ingredients and use a 9” round cake tin to bake.
Ingredients:
For the chocolate cake
35g unsalted butter, softened
85g all purpose flour
125g caster sugar
25g cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee granules
1/2 tablespoon of baking powder
105ml milk
1 egg
1 shot of espresso
1 shot of whiskey (to taste)
1 package of savoiardi biscuits
For the hazelnut mascarpone cream
250g mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons of hazelnut butter or spread (M&S’ hazelnut creme is the best)
250g of whipped cream (whipped to soft peaks)
Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, softened butter and cocoa powder in a bowl, and mix until fine crumbles form.
Add in the instant coffee granules, egg and milk, and mix until fully combined.
Bake in a lined 6-inch cake tin for 25-30 minutes at 170°C, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean (with a few crumbs). Let this cool for at least 10 minutes before using.
Whilst the cake is cooling, prepare the hazelnut mascarpone cream. Vigorously whisk the mascarpone cream to loosen, then gently fold in the whipped cream. Once this is fully combined, fold in the hazelnut butter until just combined. Set aside until needed.
Next, prepare the coffee-whiskey soak. Combine a shot of espresso with whiskey, and add caster sugar as needed. Feel free to adjust the coffee-whiskey ratio too - you might want a bit more of an alcoholic cake!
Once the cake has cooled, trim the top off of the cake, and slice the cake into three even layers, reserving the most evenly cut layer for the top. To assemble, generously brush on the coffee-whiskey soak on a layer of cake*. Once the coffee-whiskey soak has drenched the cake and the surface of the cake is a little more dry to the touch, generously top with mascarpone cream. Place another layer of cake on top of the mascarpone cream, and repeat.
Once the cake has been assembled, lightly frost the cake with the rest of the mascarpone cream - just enough to attach the savoiardi biscuits to the cake. Attach the savoiardi biscuits to the cake (sugary-side facing outwards), and serve.
*Note: If your cake is slightly dry, poke holes across the top of each cake layer with a toothpick before brushing on the coffee-whiskey soak, this’ll help the soak get through the cake better.