Aunt Isabelle's Chocolate Cake

By Carolanne

Judy Gelmann and Vicki Levy Krupp are behind the cookbook and website The Book Club Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pan(see note)
• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Lg eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Confectioners' Sugar, for dusting (optional)
• Chocolate Rum Icing
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 2 TBSP butter
• 2 TBSP milk or half-and-half, plus more as needed
• 2 TBSP dark rum

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a large Bundt pan, and dust with flour or cocoa powder. Place coffee, dark rum, butter and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, and whisk gently until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Place the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, butttermilk and vanilla. When the chocolate mixture has cooled, stir it into the egg mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pain and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Place on wire rack to cool.

Prepare the chocolate rum icing: Melt the chocolate morsels in the top of a double boiler. Add butter, milk and rum to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add more milk to thin the sauce, if necessary. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

When the cake has cooled, invert it onto a wire rack place over parchment or wax paper. Dust with confectioner's sugar, if desired. Drizzle with chocolate rum icing.