Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake

My sister requested that I post the recipe of a cake I baked during her last visit to Chicago. It's super simple and tasty and get this...the secret ingredient is whiskey ;) ;) ;) I wanted to make it again, but this time I thought I would alter it a bit.

When I was a kid, oh how I loved to eat that heavenly confection called Terry's Chocolate Orange.

You know the one - that foil ball of goodness that when broken revealed semi-sweet chocolate segments with just a hint of orange. I'm pretty sure that it was my sole source of Vitamin C back in those days.

I tried to replicate these flavors by substituting the whiskey with a little Grand Marnier and orange zest. The results were surprisingly good.

Chocolate Whiskey Bundt Cake
Adapted from Gourmet, September 2005 Issue

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus 3 tablespoons for dusting pan
• 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup American whiskey*
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

*NOTE: If you'd prefer to make the chocolate orange version, just substitute the whiskey with the following:

• 1/2 cup Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur
• 1 tablespoon orange zest 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter bundt pan well, then dust with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, knocking out excess.

Heat coffee, whiskey [OR Grand Marnier, if applicable*], butter, and remaining cup cocoa powder in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking, until butter is melted. Remove from heat, then add sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool 5 minutes.

While chocolate mixture cools, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then whisk into cooled chocolate mixture until combined well. Add flour mixture [AND orange zest, if applicable*], and whisk until just combined (batter will be thin and bubbly). Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Loosen cake from pan using tip of a dinner knife, then invert rack over pan and turn cake out onto rack.

Whipped Cream (for serving)

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
  

In a large metal bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.

NOTE: For best results, chill the bowl and cream before preparation.