Tastey Thursday!!!

Alright in our first week of the term, I feel it is appropriate to give you a recipe that will make the chocoholic in you go crazy.
Without further ado I give you my recipe for Chocolate Bourbon Cake with Chocolate Hard Sauce

ingredients for cake:
1  tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2  cups all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 ounces sweet baking chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup instant coffee crystals or instant espresso coffee powder
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 cup bourbon (I use Jack Daniels)
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons bourbon (I use Jack Daniels)



directions
1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch fluted tube pan. Add cocoa powder.
    Shake and tilt pan to coat bottom, side, and tube; shake out any excess cocoa powder.
    Set pan aside.
2.  In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3.  In a small microwave-safe bowl combine unsweetened chocolate and sweet chocolate.
    Microwave, uncovered, on 100-percent power (high) for 1 minute; stir.
    Microwave, uncovered, for 30 seconds more; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
4.  In a 2-cup glass measure combine coffee crystals and boiling water, stirring to dissolve coffee crystals.
    Add enough cold water to coffee to measure 1-1/2 cups. Stir in the 1/2 cup bourbon.
5.  In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
    Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6.  Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and coffee mixture to chocolate mixture,
    beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
7.  Bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean.
    Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan; cool completely on rack.
8.  Brush top and side of cake with the 2 tablespoons bourbon.
    If desired, wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
9.  Top with hard sauce while still warm.

ingredients for chocolate hard sauce:
1/2 cup of softened butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of bourbon (I use Jack Daniels)

directions:
1. Beat butter until fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar gradually scraping down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the cocoa powder incorporate fully.
4. Add the bourbon and mix. Add more bourbon if needed.

You can also make small individual loaf size to give as gifts. This recipe will make 8 mini-loaves or 1 regular Bundt size.