Whiskey Chocolate Cake Recipe with Chocolate Coconut Ganache

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This Whiskey Chocolate Cake Recipe is insanely delicious and perfect for any occasion!

The rich chocolate cake is paired with a smooth, chocolate coconut ganache that takes this dessert to the next level.

You will love how simple this cake is to make, and your guests are going to be impressed with both how amazing it looks as well as how good it tastes!

Whiskey Chocolate Cake Recipe

The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.

The Holidays are the time for a bit of indulgence and you are getting exactly that with this whiskey chocolate cake recipe!

Whiskey is added to both the chocolate cake batter and the chocolate-coconut ganache, but if whiskey is not your preferred seasonal tipple, you could make this cake using rum or brandy if you prefer.

Chunks of chocolate garnish the moist and flavorful cake, and for a pop of color, we added some strawberries.

The whiskey cake is a perfect ending to the full holiday menu that I’ve been sharing this month – which means you don’t have to go looking too far for a full meal to serve to family and friends!

You’ll find the whole menu below with the other recipes which include an appetizer, a main dish, two side dishes, and an adult beverage.

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe

While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., aren’t always included here as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card.

• Fresh Produce – Strawberries or Raspberries, optional garnish
• Dairy – Sour Cream
• Other – Eggs
• Whiskey – we used Scotch, but you can use any whiskey you like
• White Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar
• Vegetable Oil
• Pure Vanilla Extract – always buy good vanilla as it really does make a flavor difference.
• All-Purpose Flour – also known as Plain Flour
• Cocoa Powder
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda – also known as Bicarbonate of Soda.
• Bittersweet Chocolate – in the UK use dark (65% or higher) chocolate
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate – in the UK use plain chocolate
• Coconut Milk
• Special Equipment:
  • 2 (8-inch) Round Cake Pans
  • Wire Cooling Rack
  • Cake Stand – optional

Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).

More Recipes Using Chocolate

One of the hero ingredients in this dish is chocolate, so here are some more recipes using the same:

• Chocolate Layer Cake with Chocolate Strawberries and Ferrero Rocher
• Easy Chocolate Peanut Clusters Make A Great Homemade Gift!
• Fun To Make White Chocolate Snowman Hot Cocoa Bombs

More Cake Recipes

Looking for more cake to make? Check these recipes out next:

• A Classic White Cake Recipe Perfect For Afternoon Tea
• Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• Classic Carrot Cake Recipe with Chopped Pecans

Recipe Tips

• This cake tastes best when prepared one day in advance.
• You can also place a thin layer of jam and fresh fruit between the cake layers as a tasty variation.
• Storing Leftovers: Transfer the whole decorated cake or slices to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
• Freezing Instructions:
  • Ideally, freeze the cake before decorating as described below.
  • Alternatively, if freezing the leftover cake, place the cake in the fridge after decorating to firm it up first.
  • Wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil to help prevent freezer burn and keep out unwanted freezer smells. Place on a flat surface in the freezer.
  • Label with the name of the dish, thawing/reheating instructions, and the date to keep track of your food storage.
  • The cake will last in the freezer for 1-2 months.
  • To defrost the chocolate cake, place it, still wrapped, on a plate in the fridge to thaw overnight (or at least 12 hours).
  • Upon defrosting, you may find that the texture of the ganache has changed.
• With all leftovers, make sure the food looks and smells okay before consuming it.

How Do I Make Whiskey Chocolate Cake?

The printable recipe card below has the full ingredients list and instructions. To save ink, any demonstration photos on the card do not print out.

Continue to Content

Whiskey Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Coconut Ganache

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This Whiskey Chocolate Cake Recipe is insanely delicious and perfect for any occasion!

Print

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup whiskey
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour)
• ¾ ccup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• ½ tsp salt
• 7 oz (200g) bittersweet (dark) chocolate, chopped into chunks

For the Ganache

• 8 oz (220g) semi-sweet (plain) chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp whiskey
• 1/16 tsp salt

For Garnish:

• Chocolate or White Chocolate Shavings and/or Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4. Spray two 8” round cake pans with baking spray and line each with a piece of parchment paper. set pans aside.
2. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix the eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl until combined. Set aside.
   
   
   
3. In another bowl combine sour cream, vegetable oil, water, whiskey, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth. Set aside.
   
   
   
4. In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
   
   
   
5. Alternate folding dry ingredients and wet ingredients into the sugar mixture until just combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Finally, fold in the chunks of bittersweet chocolate and pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
7. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
   
   
   
8. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
9. While the cakes are cooling, place semi-sweet chocolate into a medium bowl.
10. Heat the coconut milk in the microwave or on the stovetop just until it boils. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate.
    
    
    
11. Allow the mixture to sit for 2 minutes, then stir with a whisk until a smooth and glossy ganache forms.
12. Add the whiskey and salt. Continue whisking just until combined.
    
    
    
13. Once the cake is fully cooled to room temperature, spread a thin layer of ganache in between layers then frost the rest of the cake with the whiskey ganache.
    
    
    
14. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, white chocolate, and/or berries on top, if desired.
    
    
    
15. Slice and enjoy!
    
    

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Wilton Cake Boards
• 
  Electric Stand Mixer
• 
  KitchenAid Handheld Mixer
• 
  Balloon Wire Whisk Set of 3
• 
  10-Inch Round Cake Stand
• 
  8-Inch Round Cake Pan Set of 2

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 944Total Fat: 51gSaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 436mgCarbohydrates: 110gFiber: 8gSugar: 70gProtein: 13g

This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Make It A Special Dinner!

I know there is a set meal at the top of this post, but here are some alternatives for you!

• Appetizer: 5-Ingredient Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Log Appetizer For the Holidays
• Soup: Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe for Cold Winter Nights
• Salad: Apple Walnut Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Main Dish: Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Herbes de Provence Crust
• Side Dish: Oven-Roasted Parmesan Green Beans – A Simple Side Dish
• Beverage: Refreshing Peppermint Martini Cocktail with Crushed Candy Cane Rim

There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.

The Create the Holidays series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog features free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Christmas and the Winter Holidays. Check out Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012.

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