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B-52 Cake

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 10, 2015

Time

1¼ hours, plus 3 hours cooling and 3 hours chilling

Yield

Serves 14-16

B-52 Cake

Ingredients

3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ⅔ cup (3⅓ ounces/94 grams) all-purpose flour 2½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin, divided1 tablespoon water 6 ounces (170 grams) white chocolate, chopped½ cup Bailey's Irish Cream 1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder 1½ cups heavy cream, chilled1 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier Bittersweet chocolate curls

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch springform pan. Combine chocolate and butter in bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Whisk 1 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk in chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in flour until no streaks remain. Transfer batter to prepared pan and distribute evenly.
  3. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 22 to 27 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool completely, 2 hours.
  4. Combine 1 teaspoon gelatin and water in small bowl and let stand until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in large bowl. Heat Bailey’s and espresso powder in small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Pour Bailey’s mixture over white chocolate, add gelatin mixture, and whisk until melted; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Whisk one-third of whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Using spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream. Spread evenly over brownie layer in pan. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
  5. Combine orange juice, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, Grand Marnier, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin in small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until just simmering. Transfer to 2-cup liquid measuring cup and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Slowly pour juice mixture over cake and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Run thin knife between cake and side of pan; remove side of pan. Transfer cake to cake platter. Place chocolate curls in center of cake. Serve.
B-52 Cake

B-52 Cake

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¼ hours, plus 3 hours cooling and 3 hours chilling

Yield

Serves 14-16

Ingredients

3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup (3⅓ ounces/94 grams) all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin, divided
1 tablespoon water
6 ounces (170 grams) white chocolate, chopped
½ cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
1½ cups heavy cream, chilled
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
Bittersweet chocolate curls

Ingredients

3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup (3⅓ ounces/94 grams) all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin, divided
1 tablespoon water
6 ounces (170 grams) white chocolate, chopped
½ cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
1½ cups heavy cream, chilled
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
Bittersweet chocolate curls

Ingredients

3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup (3⅓ ounces/94 grams) all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin, divided
1 tablespoon water
6 ounces (170 grams) white chocolate, chopped
½ cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
1½ cups heavy cream, chilled
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
Bittersweet chocolate curls

Why This Recipe Works

This impressive cake is made from a brownie base layered with a white chocolate and Bailey’s liqueur filling, which sets with the help of gelatin and whipped cream. We combine orange juice (fresh is best), sugar, Grand Marnier, and more gelatin to form a beautiful and shiny orange topping.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch springform pan. Combine chocolate and butter in bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Whisk 1 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk in chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in flour until no streaks remain. Transfer batter to prepared pan and distribute evenly.
  3. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 22 to 27 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool completely, 2 hours.
  4. Combine 1 teaspoon gelatin and water in small bowl and let stand until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in large bowl. Heat Bailey’s and espresso powder in small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Pour Bailey’s mixture over white chocolate, add gelatin mixture, and whisk until melted; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Whisk one-third of whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Using spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream. Spread evenly over brownie layer in pan. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
  5. Combine orange juice, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, Grand Marnier, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin in small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until just simmering. Transfer to 2-cup liquid measuring cup and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Slowly pour juice mixture over cake and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Run thin knife between cake and side of pan; remove side of pan. Transfer cake to cake platter. Place chocolate curls in center of cake. Serve.

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