Chocolate Cranberry Cakes With Bourbon Whipped Cream Recipes

CHOCOLATE BOURBON CAKE W/CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• 1. FROSTING: Stir 2 Cups granulated sugar and 1/2 C water in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring just until syrup turns a deep amber color, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes. Add 2 Cups heavy whipping cream (mixture WILL bubble up).Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 Cups whipping cream and stir until ALL caramel bits are melted and mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes. Pour Caramel mixture into large bowl and refrigerate overnight. (can be prepared 2 days in advance).
• 2. CAKE: Make sure rack is in center of oven and preheat oven to 350*F. Butter 2- 9" round cake pans with sides at least 2 inches high. Dust pans with flour. Stir Chopped unsweetened chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. Sift cake flour, unsweetened coco powder, baking soda & salt into medium size bowl. Beat unsalted butter in large bowl (kitchen Aid) until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar beating until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix in melted Chocolate & Bourbon Vanilla Extract. Mix in 1 C. boiling water and blend well. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks about 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. (cakes can be baked 2 days ahead , Please make sure if you do bake them 2 days in advance they are wrapped tightly in plastic & refrigerated. Using electric mixer, beat frosting until stiff peaks form. Add 1 T. bourbon and beat until blended. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Place 1 cake layer on platter, brush with 2 T. bourbon, spread 1 C. frosting over layer, repeat with 2 more cake layers brushing each with 2 T. bourbon and spreading each with 1 C. frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Brush top layer with remaining 2 T. bourbon. Spread Top & Sides of cake nicely with frosting, so it looks pretty "presentation is important too" (Cake can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate).
• 3. Lastly, drizzle caramel topping over frosted cake in pretty pattern & Serve!

CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY CAKES WITH BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut out 4 rounds of parchment paper to fit just inside bottom of each mold, then set rounds aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, then brush molds with some of it. Line bottom of each mold with a round of parchment and brush parchment with some melted butter. Chill molds 5 minutes (to set butter), then brush parchment and side of each mold with more melted butter. Chill molds 5 minutes more. Dust molds with flour, knocking out excess, and set aside.
• Simmer cranberries and 1/4 cup bourbon in a small saucepan over low heat until cranberries are tender and bourbon is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Melt chocolate and remaining stick butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.
• Pulse pecans with flour (2 tablespoons) in a food processor until finely ground, being careful not to process to a paste.
• Beat together yolks and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Add chocolate mixture and beat until just combined, then stir in pecan mixture and cranberries.
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl using cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter among molds (they will be very full), then put molds in a shallow baking pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a cake comes out with tip wet and remainder of pick dry, about 25 minutes. (Batter will rise above rims but will not spill over.) Transfer cakes to a rack and cool in molds 30 minutes. (Cakes will continue to set as they cool.)
• Beat cream with confectioners sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons bourbon in a small bowl using cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks.
• Remove side from each mold, then slide each cake from bottom onto a dessert plate, discarding parchment. Lightly dust each cake with confectioners sugar and serve with a dollop of bourbon whipped cream.