Chocolate Chip Brandy Cake

Preparation Time:  20 minutes
Cooking Time:  110 minutes

Servings: 16

Ingredients

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups superfine sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons brandy
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 (12 ounce) package mini chocolate chips, at room temp

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Cream the cream cheese and the butter together until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the sugar and cream well.
  4. Add the vanilla and the brandy, mixing well.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well each time.
  6. Sift the flour, cornstarch and baking powder together, and fold in the chocolate chips.
  7. Add the dry ingredients/chips to the egg/sugar mixture gradually, mixing well after each addition.
  8. Heavily grease a bundt or a 10 inch tube pan, and pour the cake batter into the pan.
  9. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
  10. Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 20 minutes.

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Chocolate & Irish Cream Liqueur Cupcakes

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  27 minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Irish stout (recommended: Guinness)
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 2 cups dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • Irish Liqueur Frosting, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.

Place the stout and butter in a medium-size saucepan and whisk together on medium heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat. Sift the cocoa powder into a medium-size bowl and add the sugar. Slowly whisk into the stout mixture. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and lightly whisk until smooth. Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk thoroughly (it may appear lumpy). Sift the flour and baking soda together in another small bowl and then add it to the saucepan, mixing a final time until the color is even.

Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until the cakes spring back after touching, about 27 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in their pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

To assemble: Pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes using a large plain tip. Dust with cocoa powder if preferred.

  • This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Irish Liqueur Frosting:

  • 1 pound unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (recommended: Baileys)
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until pale. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the Irish liqueur in a steady stream. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until a creamy consistency is achieved.

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