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Chocolate Whiskey Cake

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Chocolate Whiskey Cake
"We're still going strong on all things chocolate over here...or at least until January 1st! "
-- @constancehigley
*this recipe is double of our original. I just like tall cakes ;) But you can halve both the cake and the icing for a 2 layer cake!

FOR THE CAKE:
-1.5 cups of dark chocolate chips
-1 cup water
-1/2 cup instant espresso
-1/2 cup cocoa powder
-4 cups flour
-1/2 tsp sea salt
-2 tsp baking powder
-2 cups of unsalted butter (4 sticks)
-6 large eggs
-3 cups sugar
-1.5 tbsp vanilla extract
-2 cups whiskey (we used Knob Creek)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAKE:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Coat 4 8-inch cake pans with coconut oil spray
-In a medium sized saucepan, slowly melt the dark chocolate and set aside to cool.
-Bring the water to a boil, add the espresso and cocoa powder and set aside to cool.
-Add the chocolate to the espresso/cocoa mixture, and whisk until evenly combined.
-In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside
-In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter until light and fluffy.
-Add the eggs, sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.
-Add the whiskey to the coffee/cocoa mix and then combine that mix with the batter.
-Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter. Beat until evenly combined.
-divide batter evenly amongst pans and bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
-let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

INGREDIENTS FOR ICING:
-1/2 cup egg whites
-1 cup granulated sugar
-1 1/2 cups butter (cubed, room temperature)
-1 tsp vanilla
-3 oz dark chocolate (melted and cooled)
-ground cinnamon for dusting
-1/2 cup of dark sweet cherries

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ICING:
-In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites and sugar until until the mixture becomes a meringue (approximately 10 minutes)
-Slowly add the cubed butter and mix until smooth.
-Add the vanilla, melted chocolate and whip until smooth.
-Frost cake and top with a light dusting of cinnamon and the sweet dark cherries.