Why I chose this recipe:
As many of you know, Quick Chick Kitchen is on Facebook. While Facebook has its drawbacks, one of the fun things about it to me is following many cooking and baking blogs and becoming inspired by their posts. The other day I saw a post for a poke cake that looked amazing.
I looked in the liquor cabinet and saw I had just enough Kahlau to make my version of a chocolate poke cake. You could easily switch the Kahlua out for Bailey’s Irish Cream or your favorite liqueur, but I didn’t want to leave the comfort of my house, so I went with Kahlua. I am very glad I did. This Kahlua Chocolate Poke Cake is worthy.
So maybe as you ponder what to do on yet another cold winter weekend or what you should make for Valentine’s Day, treat yourself to this ridiculously moist, flavorful, decadent Kahlua Chocolate Poke Cake and realize how easy it is to .
Cake Ingredients
1 ¾ cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup black cocoa*
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup Kahlua
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup hot water
Kahlua Mixture Ingredients
¼ cup Kahlua
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
Whipped Cream Topping Ingredients
2 cups whipping cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp unflavored gelatin***
4 tsp cold water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a 9×13 inch pan** with cooking spray and set aside.
In stand mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.
In medium bowl, combine Kahlua, vegetable oil, vanilla and eggs. Whisk to fully combine, then add to dry mixture.
Mix on medium speed with paddle attachment until fully combined.
On low speed, slowly add hot water to batter. Mix until fully combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Tap pan on counter to release any air bubbles.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake tester comes out with moist crumbs attached.
With a straw or skewer, poke holes in the cake.
While cake is cooling, prepare Kahlua Mixure.
In a medium saucepan, combine Kahlua, sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate chips. Heat on medium whisking often until chocolate chips have melted.
Pour Kahlua Mixture over cake, making sure to fill the holes poked into the cake.
Chill for one hour or overnight.
Prepare Whipped Cream Topping.
Chill stand mixer bowl in freezer for five minutes.
While bowl is chilling, in small bowl, combine cold water and gelatin. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Once gelatin is set, place in microwave for about 10 seconds (until gelatin turns to liquid).
Remove stand mixer bowl from freezer, attach whisk attachment, add whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar.
Whip on high.
When soft peaks begin to form, very slowly pour gelatin mixture into cream mixture in a steady stream.
Keep beating cream on high until medium stiff peaks have formed.
Remove cake from refrigerator and spread Whipped Cream onto the top of the cake.
Chill cake for 2 hours or overnight until ready to serve.
* I used Black Cocoa from King Arthur Flour. I love the deep, rich color and taste this special cocoa brings to a recipe.
** Cake can be made in two pie plates if you do not have a 9×13 inch pan.
*** I read about using gelatin to stabilize the whipped cream a while ago and thought I would use it here. Many restaurants use this method since their desserts are not consumed all at once. It is very easy to use and gives the whipped cream more girth without compromising taste.