HOMEMADE KAHLUA & KAHLUA BLACK RUSSIAN BUNDT CAKE: National Kahlua Day

Today is National Kahlua Day. Kahlua is such a versatile liqueur. It is a Mexican coffee-flavored rum-based liqueur that's dense and sweet, with the taste of coffee. Kahlúa also contains sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla bean, so you see why it's often matched with chocolate in drinks, cakes, pies, and candy. 

To celebrate today's Kahlua holiday, scroll down for a recipe for Black Russian Bundt Cake. A Black Russian is a classic cocktail made with 1 part Kahlua, 2 parts Vodka. Fill glass with ice. Add alcohol and mix!  

Want to make your own Kahlua? Here's a recipe. The Kahlua won't be ready for a month, but it will be great!

Homemade Kahlua

Ingredients
4 cups water
4 cups sugar
2 ounces instant coffee
1 vanilla bean
Fifth of vodka or bourbon

Directions
Bring 4 cups water to boil. Add 4 cups sugar and cook until dissolved. Add instant coffee. Simmer slowly - do not boil!
Add vanilla bean and 1/5 vodka or bourbon.
Bottle and cap. Leave for a month or more!
 
Kahlua Black Russian Bundt Cake 

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix (without pudding)
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg (6 ounces) chocolate instant pudding
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1/4 cup Vodka
1/4 cup Kahlua
3/4 cup water

Directions
Combine all ingredients and beat on low for one minute and then on medium for 4 minutes.
Pour into greased and floured 10-inch bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Invert onto plate and pour on glaze.

Glaze 
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Combine and have ready when cake comes from oven.
Poke holes in cake and pour glaze over cake. 

Dust with sifted powdered sugar.

National Kahlua Day: Chocolate Kahlua Cake

February 27 is National Kahlua Day. I always loved Auntie Helen's Chocolate Kahlua Cake. She wasn't really my aunt, but she had lots of nephews and nieces whenever she made her Kahlua soaked dark Chocolate Cake. Unbelievably moist! I don't have her recipe, but I've recreated something similar over the years. Never really wrote it down, though. I'm pretty sure she used a box mix like Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake. As you may know from this blog, my recipes aren't always precise (a bit of this, a bit of that). So I went in search of a more accurate recipe!

I was thrilled to find, then, Mary Kennedy's Easy Chocolate Kahlua Cake on Mystery Lovers' Kitchen on Valentine's Day! How special is that!!  If you're not familiar with Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, get acquainted. It's a great site for mystery/foodie cross-over.  The tagline on the site is "Mystery writers cookin up crime.. and recipes.

I know Mary's recipes are terrific. She Guest Blogged here on Dying for Chocolate with her Killer Kahlua Brownie recipe. Mary must really love Kahlua. Well, no suprise. It goes so well with chocolate! Mary Kennedy is the author of Dead Air, the first book in the mystery series featuring clinical psychologist Dr. Maggie Walsh. Mary has a dynamite Chocolate Kahlua Cake recipe. And, this one tastes just like Auntie Helen's!

Mary Kennedy’s Easy Chocolate Kahlua Cake

1 package dark chocolate cake mix (I've used Duncan Hines)

1 small package chocolate instant pudding mix

4 eggs

3/4 cup oil

1/2 C. Kahlua  (or a little more)

1 (16 oz.) container sour cream

1 (12 oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a well-greased, floured (or sprayed) Bundt pan. Bake 65 to 75 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool at least 30 minutes. Invert to remove. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to give a finished look.

You can also bake this cake in a 9 x 13-inch pan but reduce the cooking time. (Check the cake in about 40 to 45 minutes, if still liquid in the center, continue baking and checking until done).


Have a great Kahlua Day!!

Photo by Cleo Coyle