A rich, moist chocolate cake with Baileys Irish liquor and coffee, is an indulgent dessert for New Year’s Eve. Easy to make, requiring just a handful of ingredients. A perfect way to celebrate the beginning of 2022.
I hope you had an amazing Christmas. I can imagine this year’s holiday period was similar to last year – a lot of unknowns, last minute changes of plan and a few disappointments. It feels like Covid is going after this holiday period as well. However, no matter what, I hoped you managed to celebrate this festive season.
My plans fell apart just a couple of days before my flight back home, when I fell ill with Covid. I managed to stay positive as ‘s*** happens’. There’s no point being negative or depressed at things that are simply out of our control, so the best thing is to accept them.
To take my mind off things, I lost myself in my cooking and baking. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen improvising, creating, and testing new recipes from my new cookbooks and just having fun. I baked the most delicious and rich chocolate cake which is going to be an amazing centrepiece for my New Years’ Eve dinner, and I can’t wait to share this with you.
Chocolate Cake Tips
This recipe is not complicated at all, but I would like to share some tips to achieve the best results.
- Use room temperature eggs.
- Make sure your sponge is fully cooled before you slice it. Otherwise, the cake can break.
- If you want a strong coffee flavour, don’t be afraid to use expresso coffee.
- You can swap Baileys for any other alcohol (for example rum, whisky, or gin) or you can skip the alcohol if you prefer.
- Before you mix whipped cream with melted chocolate make sure the chocolate has completely cooled down.
- You can make a sponge a night before to save some time.
Also, if you are looking for other chocolate cake inspiration try this Chocolate Cake with Orange Cream.
Wishing you the most amazing 2022 my loves and see you next year! xxx
Recipe inspiration was taken from The Italian Bakery cookbook by Silver Spoon.
Recipe
Sponge:
6 eggs
100g caster sugar
150g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
100ml Baileys liquor
Pinch of salt
Chocolate Mousse:
100g dark chocolate
100g milk chocolate
400ml double cream
Soaking Liquid:
100ml strong espresso coffee
50ml Baileys liquor
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a cake tin with baking paper (use 20cm tin).
Make the sponge:
2. Break the eggs into the bowl and add the sugar. Whisk the eggs with the electric mixer (or standing mixer) for about 10 minutes until the mixture gets cream colour and falls from the whisk in wide ribbons.
3. Mix the plain flour, cocoa and baking powders together.
4. Sift the flour mixture onto the whisked eggs. Using a spatula gently fold the flour mixture.
5. Pour in Baileys liquor and a pinch of salt. Mix everything together.
6. Pour the sponge mixture into the lined tin and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
7. After the cake is baked let it cool on a side.
Make the chocolate mousse:
8. Melt the chocolates in a double boiler (a saucepan with some water and a heat-safe bowl on top of it). After the chocolate melts leave it on a side to return to room temperature
9. In a separate bowl whip the double cream using an electric whisk (or a standing mixer).
10. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled, melted chocolate.
Make the soaking liquid:
11. Mix the strong espresso coffee with Baileys liquor.
Assemble the cake:
12. Cut the sponge horizontally into three even layers.
13. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate and brush it with 1/3 of the soaking liquid.
14. Spread 1/3 of the chocolate mousse over the bottom layer.
15. Add the second layer of the sponge on top of the mousse. Soak it with 1/3 of the liquid. Spread 1/3 of the chocolate mousse.
16. Add the third layer of the sponge on top of the mousse. Soak it with 1/3 of the liquid. Spread the remaining chocolate mousse on top and on the sides.
17. Place the cake in the fridge for an hour.
18. Decorate the cake with fresh fruits or shaved chocolate.
