Cooking

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa

1 3/4 cups water

2 teaspoons instant espresso

1/4 cup bourbon

5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened

2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Dash of salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with the unsweetened cocoa. Remove excess cocoa and set aside.

Combine water, instant espresso and bourbon in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 3 minutes. Add chocolate and butter; cook over a moderate heat, stirring until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add sugar and stir until well-blended. Let cool 3 for minutes. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, to the chocolate mixture using an electric mixer on medium speed. Continue to beat for 1 minute after all of the flour has been added. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of pan. Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack, remove the pan and cool completely. Serve at room temperature. Makes 12 servings.