Bourbon chocolate cake, cherry bourbon filling, chocolate ganache, and fresh cherries.
Indulge in this rich chocolate cake with its sweet dark cherry filling, creamy chocolate ganache, and bright, fresh cherry garnish. A delicious way to start the new year!
Ganache
First layer with the filling
Cake with ganache
This cake has a spreadable chocolate ganache frosting. It is made by melting chocolate with hot cream and cooling it until spreadable. This ganache can be used as directed in the recipe, poured, or whipped.
To coat the cake with poured ganache. Bake the cakes and fill them with cherries. Place the cake on a sheet pan with a wire rack. Pour the ganache into the center of the cake. Allow it to drip over the sides. To coat the sides of the cake, slowly pour the chocolate along the edge. Smooth out any lines in the ganache by gently tapping the pan on the counter. Use a spatula to move the cake to a serving platter and garnish.
Whipped ganache can be made by chilling the ganache and beating it in a stand mixer. Spread or pipe the whipped ganache onto the cake. The heat from your hands will melt the chocolate during piping. You can counteract this by working quickly and placing the bag in the fridge when it starts to get soft.
I line the bottom of my cake pans with parchment. This step can be omitted if you prefer. The paper allows the cake to easily be removed from the pan and flipped onto the serving plater. I also reuse the paper to line my serving platter, so it stays clean when frosting the cake.
Bourbon Cherry Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Ganache
- 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 58%
- 10 ounces cream 1 1/4 cups
Cherry Filling
- 15 ounce canned whole dark cherries in syrup
- 1/8 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 3/4 tbsp cornstarch
Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 58%
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- bourbon as needed for soak
- 35-40 cherries halved and pitted
Instructions
Ganache
- Chop chocolate and place into a bowl. Bring cream to a simmer. Slowly pour the cream over the chocolate. Mix until chocolate has completely melted. Allow to cool until it is a spreadable consistency.
Cherry Filling
- Strain cherries and put the juice into a pot. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of juice and set aside. Add the sugar and bourbon to the pot with the juice. Bring the pot to a boil and dissolve the sugar. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes until thick. Remove from heat and cool. Mix the cherries back in.
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of 2-9 inch springform pans with parchment. Grease and flour the pans. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa together. Melt the chocolate over a water bath and cool. Mix the coffee, bourbon, vanilla, and almond extract.
- Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs, then the chocolate. Add the flour and coffee mix in three additions, alternating between the two. Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Cool the cakes completely.
- Fill a pastry bag with half of the ganache. Place one of the cakes on a platter. Brush the cake with bourbon. Pipe ganache around the edge of the cake. Spread the cherry filling inside the ganache. Top with the other cake layer and brush with bourbon. Spread a thin layer of ganache over the entire cake. Pipe the remaining ganache to decorate the cake. Garnish with fresh cherries. Slice into 10 pieces and serve.
