Recipe: Black Russian Cake with White Russian Cake variation (using cake mix)

BLACK RUSSIAN CAKE

FOR THE CAKE:
Vegetable Oil Spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
1 large package (5.9 ounces) chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
1/4 cup vodka

FOR THE GLAZE:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee liqueur

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, sugar, eggs, Kahlua, and vodka in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, 60-65 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack to cool completely, 20 minutes more.

For the glaze, place the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and stir in the Kahlua. Spoon this over the cooled cake so that it drips down the sides and is absorbed into the cake. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes. Slide the cake onto a serving platter. Slice and serve. Serves 16.

(Store, wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or in a cake saver, at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.)

VARIATION:

WHITE RUSSIAN CAKE:
Heat 2 tablespoons Kahlua and 2 tablespoons heavy cream until warm. Stir in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and spoon this glaze over the cooled cake.

Source: The Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor by Ann Byrn