Tuesdays with Dorie: Chocolate Armagnac Cake
March 3, 2009 at 2:44 am | Posted in cakes & tortes, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 58 Comments
I’ve been waiting for more than a year for someone to choose Dorie’s Chocolate Armagnac Cake for TWD! Not just hoping it would be chosen for the sake of trying it…it was actually the very first recipe I made from BFMHTY, when I was still living in Sydney and I hadn’t yet joined TWD. A couple of weeks later, I signed on to the group and have been waiting patiently, holding on to the picture, ever since. Finally LyB of And then I do the dishes came through and picked it for this week’s recipe!
It was my brother who requested this cake. I was looking for something to make for dessert while he was staying in Sydney with us, and asked him to choose a recipe from the book. I think he did it on picture alone, because he sure was surprised to see me chopping up prunes! That’s right, prunes. Armagnac-flamed prunes are part of what gives this cake it’s little something-something, and a great texture. I actually didn’t use Armagnac here but used Jameson instead, which thanks to my father (yeah, please don’t ask), I had already had on-hand.
This is another dense, chocoholic type of cake. (There have been a lot of those lately, right?) Really good, as far as I can remember, and a bit of glaze puts it over the top. If you are baking for someone who’s anti-prune, sub another dried fruit, like raisins, or just keep it hush-hush…they’ll probably never pin it down.
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan (read Dorie’s funny story about the cake, too). It will also be on And then I do the dishes. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll.
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a whisk and a spoon 
oh delicious cake! i m drooling looking at it 🙂 its awesome
Comment by snooky doodle— March 3, 2009 #
I didn’t notice the prunes in the cake, but I only had the tiniest bit of cake… Absolutely loved it!
Comment by Marthe— March 3, 2009 #
wow, i love armagnac! i could totally go for that slice right now, it looks so yummy! it almost looks like a frosted brownie. i love that you’ve been holding on to this photo for so long, lol!
Comment by mimi— March 3, 2009 #
I would love to get a fork to that cake! It looks super rich and moist! YUM
Comment by Jen— March 3, 2009 #
Prunes and chocolate are always a great mix – it looks yummy!
Comment by Renee— March 3, 2009 #
That cake looks EXACTLY like the cake from the book! How do you do it???
Comment by Teanna— March 3, 2009 #
A beautiful cake! It has just the right texture.
Comment by Heather Peskin— March 3, 2009 #
On dirait la photo du livre de dorie ! c’est la perfection ! très belle photos 🙂
Comment by isabelle— March 3, 2009 #
what an adorable little slice!
Comment by Natalie— March 3, 2009 #
NICE!!!! Your brother requested a great cake 🙂
Comment by VeggieGirl— March 3, 2009 #
Wow that’s a long time to wait! 🙂 Yours looks picture perfect!
Comment by Amanda— March 3, 2009 #
Your cake is beautiful!!!!
Comment by juju73— March 3, 2009 #
looks just like the book!
Comment by Lauren— March 3, 2009 #
I’m so glad you liked my choice. 🙂 Your cake looks great!
Comment by LyB— March 3, 2009 #
I can understand why the letters on your picture are so sketchy… either you were drunk from the cake… either, like myslef… you couldn’t believe how great it was! LOL
A true beauty, Steph!
Comment by Vibi— March 3, 2009 #
Looks beautiful, glad you finally got to post about the cake! I got a lot of questions about this one “what is that, cherries?” I finally caved and admitted prunes!
Comment by Spike.— March 3, 2009 #
This was a great cake.
Yours looks wonderful
Comment by chocolatechic— March 3, 2009 #
wow – so dark and rich looking! yum.
Comment by Susan— March 3, 2009 #
Oh how beautiful your cake is. I just loved this cake. And you are right, don’t tell it has prunes in it and they will never figure it out. Most people thought mine had raisens in it. 🙂
Comment by Peggy— March 3, 2009 #
Beautiful job on the cake!
Comment by Kimberly— March 3, 2009 #
Oh my god. Look at that dense, fudgey crumb and gorgeous silky frosting…
Comment by Foodess— March 3, 2009 #
Your brother knew what he was doing when he requested this one — it is amazing. I would have skipped right over it upon seeing “prunes” had in not been for TWD. Your picture is absolutely stunning.
Comment by Cathy— March 3, 2009 #
wait a min.. this looks like a duplicate of the photo in the book! haha. Great job!
Comment by Sihan— March 3, 2009 #
Glad this cake finally got chosen for you! You’ve had to hold on to it for a quite a while. Your pictures look great!
Comment by Elyse— March 3, 2009 #
total death by chocolate. yum.
Comment by Sophie— March 3, 2009 #
Your picture looks better than the one in the book!
Comment by Megan— March 3, 2009 #
Your cake looks so fudgy and delicious! I’ve did the same thing with three of February’s recipes- made them a while before they were chosen and just held on to the picture!
Comment by Erin— March 3, 2009 #
It looks delicious!
Comment by Jillian— March 3, 2009 #
mm, that slice looks so fudgey and gorgeous! 🙂
Comment by kim— March 3, 2009 #
your cake looks beautiful! I kept hush hush about the prunes and the person I gave the cake to didnt even notice them even though he is not a prune lover :0)
Comment by Tammy— March 3, 2009 #
Your cake looks gorgeous. How funny about your brother. Typical male just looking at the pictures…
Comment by pinkstripes— March 3, 2009 #
picture perfect! Straight out of the baking book! Very glad you liked it – it looks absolutely wonderful! Love the technique with the frosting!
Comment by mike— March 3, 2009 #
Your cake looks great !!!
Comment by Jin— March 3, 2009 #
these chocolate cakes are making me SO hungru!!
YUM
Comment by Courtney— March 3, 2009 #
That looks great! And, funny story!
Comment by Pennies on a Platter— March 3, 2009 #
Beautiful photo!
NAOmni
Comment by NAOmni— March 3, 2009 #
Very pretty. How funny that your brother chose it from the picture (and probably the title).
Comment by Mary— March 3, 2009 #
Yeah, a LOT of dense and chocolatey cake. Yours looks absolutely stunning though!
Comment by Holly— March 3, 2009 #
Your cake looks delicious!
Comment by Stephanie— March 3, 2009 #
I took this to work with me today and definitely kept the prunes hush hush. Everyone loved it. Its funny that your brother was so surprised about the prunes after picking out the cake!
Comment by Karen— March 3, 2009 #
Your cake looks fabulous.
Comment by Molly W— March 3, 2009 #
I am starting to think after reading TWD blogs all night that I should have subbed with craisins but I slacked this week. Do you think that would have works? I am not a raisin fan either. (I am SO picky!!) Gorgeous pictures as always. Glad you enjoyed the cake.
Clara @ iheartfood4thought
Comment by CB— March 3, 2009 #
I’ve always been intrigued by this cake ever since I got the book!
Comment by howtoeatacupcake— March 3, 2009 #
Awesome! Glad it was the first one you made! 🙂
Comment by food librarian— March 4, 2009 #
I admit I’ve never had a huge urge to try this “cake that got me fired” cake, but you do make it sound appealing.
Btw, where did you end up moving to? You’ve probably said but I forget. 🙂
Comment by Jenny— March 4, 2009 #
Your cake looks terrific. The other chocolate cake a lot of us made recently is the reason why I haven’t made this one yet. The more reviews I read, the more I’m looking forward to it, though. =)
Comment by Di— March 4, 2009 #
it’s been chocoalate cake deja vu, with this recipe coming on the heels of the chocolate valentino and the devil’s food cakes! I think the prunes made the cake so moist and flavorful, and this is definitely my fav of all the cakes made recently.
Comment by Linda— March 4, 2009 #
That looks just lovely! Nice job.
Comment by Jules— March 4, 2009 #
more chocolate cakes… always better!! This one looks amazing!
Comment by Ashley— March 4, 2009 #
That cake is GORGEOUS. Now, I’m rethinking the whole thing.
Comment by Rebecca— March 4, 2009 #
What a beautiful result! Lots of people have been waiting for this cake, and it wasn’t even on my radar, but I must say I did like it.
Comment by Carol Peterman— March 4, 2009 #
Your cake looks really good, I’m sure it tastes great with the ice cream too. 🙂
Comment by Piggy— March 5, 2009 #
Fabulous looking dessert. Yummy!
Comment by teaandscones— March 5, 2009 #
Steph, you have had some wonderful choc-o-late going on at your table. Wish I could have compared the flourless with dorie’s. What did you think? Can they compare? I love the aroma of chocolate baking in the oven. So amazing. Your cake looks perfecto! Hope you make it again soon. I loved it and will be making it again, keeping the prunes on the hush hush. he he
AmyRuth
Great Photo! (as always)
Comment by Amy Ruth— March 5, 2009 #
Your cake looks so tall and moist. How fun to have the dessert made and photo taken already!
Comment by Shari— March 5, 2009 #
Your cake looks gorgeous! It’s so tall! Mine was pretty flat and unimpressive 🙂
Comment by Tracey— March 6, 2009 #
Jameson probably worked perfectly – I used Glenfidditch 🙂 Beautiful job – I was really glad someone finally picked this recipe as well!
Comment by Caitlin— March 8, 2009 #
I love how you swirled the frosting…so pretty and elegant. Beautiful job. The guys here ate this so fast, I didn’t have time to offer it around anywhere…it must have been good, despite my mishap!
Comment by Kayte— March 10, 2009 #