Shelly's Recipe

AMORE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE WATER GLAZE

Category: Cakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup espresso, or strongly brewed coffee
2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, plus an additional 1 cup
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup amaretto liquor
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (Such as Hershey's)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup very hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with flour-added cooking spray.

Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan, over medium heat; stir in espresso. When mixture starts to bubble, remove pan from heat, and stir in 2/3 chocolate chips, until melted and smooth. Stir in buttermilk and amaretto.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together mascarpone, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg, until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low, and beat in flour mixture, alternating with melted chocolate mixture. Continue to beat for 1-2 minutes, or until ingredients are well combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and shake/tap a few times, to allow batter to settle into all of the creases. Bake at 350 degrees F, for 45-50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack; run a knife around the edges of pan, and invert cake onto platter. Cool for 40 minutes.

*To make the chocolate water glaze, heat the additional 1 cup chocolate chips in a small bowl set over simmering water, whisking frequently, until melted. Whisk in the hot water, all at once, and continue to whisk until well combined. Drizzle cake with glaze. (This glaze is a little tricky to get right. Make sure you heat the chocolate gently.)

You can use chocolate ganache, if desired. I think I'd recommend the ganache, because it's easier. *Place 1 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate in a medium mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. With a whisk, stir the mixture until the chocolate has completely melted and mixed with the cream to form a thick sauce; drizzle over cake.

Yield: 10 servings