Here’s How to Make Killer Molten Chocolate Whiskey Cakes

This is the perfect way to celebrate National Cake Day.

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(Photos: Josh Scherer)

You know what I really hate and am also terrible at, but not terrible enough to dissuade you from following this recipe? Baking. Baking these molten whiskey chocolate cakes creates the perfect storm of kitchen nightmares and shows loved ones that you care enough to suffer. Also, there’s whiskey!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • Flour
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Baking cocoa
  • Sour cream
  • Semisweet chocolate chips
  • White chocolate chips
  • Whiskey

Start out by making a simple white chocolate whiskey ganache. It’s great that that’s even a phrase right? Simple white chocolate whiskey ganache. Make yourself a double boiler by putting a large sauce pot with 1 inch of water in it on high heat and covering it with a metal mixing bowl. You can secure the mixing bowl in place by putting a few damp paper towels on the edges. The friction will help keep it in place while you mix — hashtag science!

When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat down to medium low and add 5 ounces of the white chocolate chips, two shots of whiskey (I used rye because that’s what I had on hand, but feel free to use your favorite), 2 tablespoons of butter, and the zest of half an orange.

Whisk all those things together, and, when melted, pour onto a sheet pan lined with greased parchment paper and spread it out evenly. Pop that bad boy in the freezer for about twenty minutes to cool, then pool all of the ganache in the middle of the parchment paper and roll it into a cylinder. Freeze that for another 30 minutes.

Now you gotta make a cake, which totally blows because, as we’ve stated before, baking is a nightmare. Since the last time I tried to bake a cake without a recipe I was hammered drunk and ended up eating a bunch of eggshells (true story!), I typed “simple chocolate cake” into my browser. And this recipe came up. Thanks to the homie Martha Stewart for hooking it up with the reliable recipes and rock solid interior design and home gardening advice.

To paraphrase my girl Martha (former queen of the cell block homemakers): In a medium bowl, sift together ¾ cup cocoa, ¾ cup flour, ½ tsp baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream ¾ cup butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 3 eggs, one at a time. Reduce your mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture alternating with ½ cup sour cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

Nailed it, Martha. Now, take some tiny cake pans lined with parchment paper and pour in one inch of batter. Take your frozen ganache rod (sexualize all the desserts!) and slice it into 2 inch rounds. Place a round of frozen ganache into the batter, then pour more on top to cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a cake taster comes out clean.

Take them cakes out of their cake pan shells, garnish with powdered sugar, some orange peel, and a maraschino cherry. Crack it open and hope to fuck that it’s molten inside and the ganache didn’t leak out the bottom. If it isn’t, just lose all your shit and punch through the cake and reflect on the fact that all your inadequacies shamefully manifest themselves in violence against baked goods. No? Just me? 

Happy National Cake Day, Valentine’s Day, or whatever day you think is prime for fucking up your kitchen with this deliciousness. 

Still hungry? Check out the other installments of Bite Club here.

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