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Double Chocolate Cake with Honey-Rosemary Syrup
This unique syrup-soaked chocolate cake is our adaptation of a dessert by Briana Holt, who flavors her cake with piney, peppery juniper berries. We opted for herbal, resinous (and more readily available) fresh rosemary. Either is a delicious match for chocolate. If you’d like to try juniper, in a small skillet over medium, toast 2 teaspoons dried juniper berries until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes; let cool, then pulverize in a spice grinder to a fine powder. Whisk 1 teaspoon of the ground juniper into the dry ingredients for the cake; use the remainder in place of the rosemary to make the syrup, but when transferring the syrup from the saucepan to a liquid measuring cup, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer. However you choose to flavor it, make the cake the day ahead, if you can; its texture improves as the syrup slowly soaks in. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
12
Servings
Tip
Don’t measure the ¾ cup water and then bring it boil it or too much will steam off as it heats. Instead, boil a larger quantity of water in a kettle or saucepan, then measure the ¾ cup. Don’t underbake the cake or it will sink as it cools. When testing doneness, make sure the toothpick comes out clean and dry from the cake’s center. Finally, to ensure even absorption, drizzle on the syrup in four applications, with a brief rest between each. If applied all at once, the syrup will pool on the surface and turn the top soggy.
1 hour 40 minutes
40 minutes active, plus cooling
For the cake:
-
130
grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
Directions
-
01To make the cake, heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, then dust with flour; tap out the excess. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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January 28, 2023
So moist and flavorful!
This has become one of my family's favorites.
I live near open space full of juniper trees, as are many people in CA, NM, AZ, NV, UT: I am in Colorado. I sure wish Milk St gave us the alternative to using juniper instead of rosemary! Not sure what quantities would be appropriate for the ground toasted juniper berries or for making the syrup. If anyone has ideas, please chime in...
Jeanette, the instructions for using juniper are in the print version, in the intro to the recipe. "If you'd like to try juniper, in a small skillet over medium, toast 2 teaspoons dried juniper berries until fragrant; let cool, then pulverize in a spice grinder to a fme powder. Whisk 1 teaspoon of the ground junipcr into the dry ingredients for the cake; use the remainder in place of the rosemary to make the syrup, but when transferring the syrup from the saucepan to a liquid measuring cup, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer. "
Thank you so much Mary T! I also found out in the meantime that many juniper plants produce berries that are not edible or tasty, so people need to do their research to figure out how they can safely harvest their own. I found a small bag of organic juniper berries at Natural Grocers for about $3 😉
Thank you so much Mary T! I also found out in the meantime that many juniper plants produce berries that are not edible or tasty, so people need to do their research to figure out how they can safely harvest their own. I found a small bag of organic juniper berries at Natural Grocers for about $3 😉
Wow! This might be one of the best chocolate cakes I've ever tasted! It's not much of a looker with its rustic top, but damn it's good! The sides of my cake came out a bit craggy, as well. When I make this again, I'll try putting parchment paper on the bottom and sides of the pan to see if it comes out cleaner. I might also try serving the cake upside-down if the bottom looks presentable. Otherwise, I may reduce the sugar sprinkled on top before baking, and then serve it right-side (craggy side) up, but dust the finished cake with some confectioners' sugar to pretty it up. In any case, I highly recommend this cake and look forward to many decadent experiments with it in the future!
Sorry to say that my guests and I found this to be lacking in flavor and interest. The rosemary flavor was non existent and the chocolate flavor was bland. It was extremely moist but the texture wasn't all the pleasing. Darn, I was hoping to expand my chocolate cake repertoire with this recipe, but I guess I'll stick with my flourless chocolate cake which is easier and always a hit.
Made this for Christmas dinner at in-laws. It was a hit for each of nine guests. Cake was moist and flavorful. I typically think of rosemary as a savory herb, but it works very well here. Tip: make the cake a day or two before your event. This allows for flavors to meld and come together well. This recipe is going on my favorites list!
My son chose this for his eighth birthday cake, he loves chocolate, rosemary and honey and wanted to try them together. It turned out beautifully, though my top was not as crackly for some reason. The flavor was lovely, though next time I may make the syrup further ahead to let it steep longer for a stronger rosemary flavor (perhaps before I start the rest of the cake). For reference, I used ~2.5” sprigs fresh from the bush.
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I made this the other night. I had a couple of mishaps. I didn't have my springform pan latched correctly so batter was leaking out. It started a small fire in the bottom oven. Just to add insult to injury, either the oven automatically shut off because of the fire or I did in my haste to correct the situation but nevertheless the oven shut off and I didn't realize it. I checked back about 15 or so mins later and it looked the same. I then realized that the oven was off! I was about ready to through the whole thing out, including the pan lol! I persevered and finished the cake. It turned out pretty darn good. It was better the next day. The rosemary was a bit strong but it was a nice flavor. The texture was amazing. The chocolate flavor was rich but not too rich. I would like to try this again without the leak and the fire (totally my silly fault).