Irish Chocolate Cake Recipes

IRISH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (gas mark 5), and grease and line two 8" cake pans.
• Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
• Melt chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of hot water.
• In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, then beat in the chocolate and mashed potato.
• Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour with each addition.
• Fold in the rest of the flour and stir in the milk.
• Divide mixture evenly between the cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is firm but springy to the touch.
• Remove from oven and after a few minutes, turn out on a cooling rack.
• While the cake is cooling, melt the chocolate for the filling as before.
• Stir in the other ingredients and mix well.
• Use the filling to sandwich the sponge layers together and coat the top and sides of the cake.

IRISH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Grease and line 8-inch cake tins.
• Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Melt chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of hot water.
• In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, then beat in the chocolate and mashed potato.
• Gradually beat in the egg, adding a little flour with each addition.
• Fold in the rest of the flour and stir in the milk.
• Divide mixture between cake tins and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is firm but springy to the touch.
• Remove from oven and after a few minutes, turn out on a cooling rack.
• While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Melt the chocolate as before, stir in the other ingredients and mix well.
• Use the icing to sandwich the cake layers together and coat the top and sides of the cake.
• HINT: What makes this rich chocolate cake "Irish" is not only to the creamy liqueur used in the filling, but also a particularly "Irish" ingredient in the cake mixture itself, which makes it extremely moist. Have you guessed it yet? Yes, it's the potato! Mystery solved! Bet you were wondering what potatoes were doing in a cake recipe! Even Irish dessert recipes make use of this abundant Irish crop!

IRISH CREAM CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Mousse:
• Whisk eggs and sugar in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) and whisk constantly until candy thermometer registers 160°F., about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until cool and very thick, about 10 minutes.
• Place chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from over water. Cool to luke warm.
• Combine cream and Irish cream liqueur in medium bowl; beat to stiff peaks. Pour luke warm melted chocolate over egg mixture and fold together. Fold in cream mixture. Cover and chill until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Syrup:
• Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Mix in whiskey. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Using electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, espresso powder and salt in large bowl until mixture thickens and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 8 minutes. Sift 1/3 of flour over and gently fold into egg mixture. Repeat 2 more times (do not overmix or batter may deflate.)
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.
• Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Turn out cake. Remove pan bottom. Peel off parchment. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap cake in plastic and chill.)
• Assembly:
• Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place bottom cake layer on platter. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with second cake layer. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with third cake layer, cut side down. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread remaining mousse over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake while preparing chocolate bands.
• Chocolate Bands:
• Line large baking sheet with foil and set aside. Place another large sheet of foil on work surface; top with waxed paper strips, spacing apart. Stir chopped semisweet chocolate and vegetable shortening in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour half of melted chocolate down center of each waxed paper strip. Using metal icing spatula, spread chocolate to cover strips evenly and completely, allowing some chocolate to extend beyond edges of paper strips. Using fingertips, lift strips and place on clean foil-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate just until chocolate begins to set but is still very flexible, about 2 minutes.
• Remove chocolate bands from refrigerator. Using fingertips, lift 1 band from foil. With chocolate side next to cake, place band around side of cake; press gently to adhere (band will be higher than cake). Repeat with second chocolate band, pressing onto uncovered side of cake so that ends of chocolate bands just meet (if ends overlap, use scissors to trim any excess paper and chocolate). Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 5 minutes. Gently peel off paper. Refrigerate cake.
• Chocolate curls:
• Line baking sheet with foil. Unwrap 1 square of chocolate. Place chocolate on its paper wrapper in microwave. Cook on High just until chocolate begins to soften slightly, about 1 minute (time will vary depending on power of microwave). Turn chocolate square onto 1 side and hold in hand. Working over foil-lined sheet, pull vegetable peeler along sides of chocolate, allowing chocolate curls to fall gently onto foil. Form as many curls as possible. Repeat process with remaining chocolate squares. Place curls decoratively atop cake, mounding slightly. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate cake.)
• Sift powdered sugar over chocolate curls before serving cake.

IRISH CREAM CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Whisk eggs and sugar in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) and whisk constantly until candy thermometer registers 60°F, about 5 minutes.
• Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until cool and very thick, about 10 minutes.
• Place chocolate in top of another bowl over simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Cool to lukewarm.
• Combine cream and Irish cream liqueur in medium bowl; beat to stiff peaks. Pour lukewarm melted chocolate over egg mixture and fold together. Fold in cream mixture. Cover and chill until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Cake
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or coffee powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Using electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, espresso powder and salt in large bowl until mixture thickens and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 8 minutes. Sift 1/3 of flour over and gently fold into egg mixture. Repeat 2 more times (do not overmix or batter may deflate).
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.
• Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Turn out cake. Remove pan bottom. Peel off parchment. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap cake in plastic and chill.)
• Syrup
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons water
• 5 tablespoons Irish whiskey
• Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Mix in whiskey. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Assembly
• Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place bottom cake layer on platter. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with second cake layer. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with third cake layer, cut side down. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread remaining mousse over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake while preparing chocolate bands.
• Chocolate Bands
• 2 14 1/2 x 3-inch waxed paper strips
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon solid vegetable shortening
• Line large basket sheet with foil and set aside. Place another large sheet of foil on work surface; top with waxed paper strips, spacing apart. Stir chopped semisweet chocolate and vegetable shortening in heavy, small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour half of melted chocolate down center of each waxed paper strip.
• Using metal icing spatula, spread chocolate to cover strips evenly and completely, allowing some chocolate to extend beyond edges of paper strips. Using fingertips, lift strips and place on clean foil-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate just until chocolate begins to set but is still very flexible, about 2 minutes.
• Remove chocolate bands from refrigerator. Using fingertips, lift 1 band from foil. With chocolate side next to cake, place band around side of cake; press gently to adhere (band will be taller than cake). Repeat with second chocolate band, pressing onto uncovered side of cake so that ends of chocolate bands just meet (if ends overlap, use scissors to trim any excess paper and chocolate). Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 5 minutes. Gently peel off paper. Refrigerate cake.
• Chocolate Curls
• 12 1-ounce squares semisweet baking chocolate
• Powdered sugar
• Line baking sheet with foil. Unwrap 1 square of chocolate. Place chocolate on its paper wrapper in microwave. Cook on High just until chocolate begins to soften slightly, about 1 minute (time will vary depending on power of microwave). Turn chocolate square onto 1 side and hold in hand. Working over foil-lined sheet, pull vegetable peeler along sides of chocolate, allowing chocolate curls to fall gently onto foil. Form as many curls as possible. Repeat process with remaining chocolate squares. Place curls decoratively atop cake, mounding slightly. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate cake.) Sift powdered sugar over chocolate curls before serving cake.

IRISH COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Place waxed paper over a large wire cooling rack. Place a 3-quart mixing bowl in the freezer.
• Mix flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• Place unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Beat eggs in a bowl until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes.
• Remove cold bowl from the freezer and pour in chilled whipping cream; beat until stiff. Fold in eggs, melted chocolate, and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, folding gently after each addition, until blended. Pour into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert layers carefully onto the prepared cooling rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Poke holes in the top of the cakes with a skewer or long-tined fork.
• Stir whiskey, coffee granules, and 2 tablespoons sugar together in a small bowl until coffee is dissolved. Pour 1/2 of the coffee-whiskey mixture over each layer. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine whiskey and coffee granules for the frosting in a large bowl; stir until coffee is dissolved. Add butter and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Gradually mix in powdered sugar on medium speed until smooth. Transfer 1/2 cup of frosting to a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip (#32 or #4B); set aside. Use the remaining frosting to fill layers and frost sides and top of cake.
• Place chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a small pastry bag fitted with a medium-sized writing tip.
• Pipe chocolate in a lattice design across the top of the cake. Pipe a shell border or rosettes around the top edge.