I like a good rich chocolate cake as much as the next person. Faced with a dessert menu, I’ll choose the decadent chocolate option while everyone else orders sorbet. The Boca Negra is both rich and decadent with only a handful of ingredients: bittersweet chocolate, sugar, bourbon, butter, eggs, and a tiny bit of flour. It contains so much butter that it literally changes phases depending on its temperature, almost liquid straight from the oven, and most definitely solid after a night in the refrigerator.
The recipe is from Baking With Julia, on pages 253-254, and can also be found on Cathy’s blog, A Frederick Food Garden. I wish that the recipe was more descriptive about baking time. It’s very specific – exactly 30 minutes – but oven temperatures vary, and I was using a slightly smaller diameter baking pan than the size specified. I removed mine after 35 minutes, and I think another 5-10 minutes wouldn’t have hurt. It was decidedly molten in the center, reminiscent of brownie batter, not very cake-like. That said, I served it warm after dinner, and it was delicious and indulgent.
The white chocolate cream topping, included with the recipe, pushed it over the top for me. I’d prefer this cake with something lighter, say a flavored whipped cream or even a very good ice cream. The photos of the slice of finished cake were taken after refrigerating the remaining cake overnight. After chilling it was quite solid, almost like fudge. I tried microwaving a slice for 30 seconds and then it was like a fresh-from-the-oven brownie.
That looks lovely. We’ve been microwaving slices too. It’s almost as good as eating it fresh.
Beautiful presentation and photos! I also preferred the cake with a fruit topping (or rose petal). But the cream would be great with other desserts.
It’s beautiful with the berries. I agree that it was very rich. It was difficult for me to eat even a sliver.
Fantastic presentation! Your cake looks so beautiful dished up. Great job! I agree, as much as I loved the cream sauce, the cake would have been good with something lighter. (though no doubt I’d make it again for friends)
Gorgeous presentation! I loved the cream, but your fruit looks fabulous and could easily be all this cake needs.