Mississippi Mud Cake with Espresso-Bourbon Glaze

By Foodiewife

If you love chocolate, this is a deep dark bundt cake that delivers. The glaze is my favorite part-- with espresso powder and bourbon, you can save extra glaze to drizzle over vanilla ice cream.

Recipe source: Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman
I've made a few adaptions that I've noted on the recipe. For one, I used Cappuccino chips, instead of chocolate. So good!

Ingredients

• For the glaze:
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup brewed espresso
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (I used mocha chips)
• 6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 6 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 6 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 2 Tablespoons bourbon

Preparation

Step 1

NOTES: Making the glaze, first, yielded better results. By allowing it to cool, it becomes much thicker. In fact, you can make the glaze a day ahead of time and bring to room temperature.

Make the glaze:
Stir the butter, brown sugar, and espresso powder* together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted.

Whisk in the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 minute, remove from the heat, and whisk in the confectioner's sugar until sooth.

Mix in the bourbon. Let cool for 10 minutes.

*I order my espresso powder for King Arthur Flour's website.

TASTING NOTES: I used half the amount of bourbon, with good results. I found that 10 minutes was NOT enough time for the glaze to cool so that it would be thick. I'd give it at least an hour or more; otherwise the glaze just absorbs into the cake. The glaze is so good, it's delicious drizzled over vanilla ice cream!

Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with flour (I use Baker's Joy spray for perfect results).

Combine the butter, chocolate, and espresso in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring, until the butter and chocolate are melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the granulated sugar and bourbon.

Place the eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low to break up the eggs. Beat in the chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the came comes out clean, about 45 minutes. (NOTE: My cake was fully baked in 39 minutes, so keep a close on it!) Let the cake cook in the pan for 5 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Place the cake, still on the wire rack, over a baking sheet. Slowly drizzle the glaze over the cake, letting it run down the sides of the cake and covering as much of the cake as possible. Let stand until the glaze is set, about 1/2 hour. Slice and serve.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.