Nick Malgieri has baked with the best at the Waldorf Astoria and Windows on the World and as director of baking at New York’s Institute of Culinary Education. He has written 10 cookbooks including Chocolate, winner of the 1999 Julia Child Cookbook Award. Malgieri baked this cake in October at the Cucina Italian Cooking School at Gervasi Vineyard. 

CHOCOLATE BOURBON CAKE

The sweet, mellow flavor of Bourbon has a great affinity for chocolate.  Serve this unadorned cake with a little unsweetened whipped cream.

Makes one 8-inch cake, 8 to 10 servings

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

Pinch of salt

5 large eggs

3 tablespoons best-quality Bourbon

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Whipped cream for serving

One 8-inch round 2-inch deep pan, buttered

1. Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, allowing it to sizzle and get really hot.  Remove from heat, add chocolate and whisk smooth.

1. Whisk the sugar, granulated flour, and salt together and add all the eggs and Bourbon.  Whisk together smoothly.

1. Stir the brown sugar into the butter and chocolate mixture and stir into the batter.

1. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake the cake for 25 minutes.

1. Cool the cake on a rack, then wrap and refrigerate it in the pan.

1. To serve the cake, remove it from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature for 2 hours.  Invert to a platter and serve slices of the cake with whipped cream.