Chocolate Armagnac Cake
We could have loved this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie pick, Chocolate Armagnac Cake. It’s packed with bittersweet chocolate. It requires dousing fruit with alcohol and lighting it on fire. What’s NOT to love, right?
Prunes, Baby.
A lot of this cake’s moisture comes courtesy of 12 chopped prunes. If you always wondered what would happen if a Nestle Chunky bar with raisins was rescued from life on the streets by Richard Gere, now you know. Because Chocolate Armagnac Cake tastes like a very rich, slightly liquored up Chunky. It’s a lady on the plate, but a freak with the flavah.
So, Chocolate Armagnac Cake wasn’t our thing, but perhaps you’re intrigued? For the recipe, visit LyB at And then I do the dishes, or check out Dorie Greenspan’s “Baking: From My Home to Yours.”
Haha, great description. You’re right: the cake does look like quite the lady on the plate. Sorry to hear the “flavah” was so freaky. Back to chocolate cake normalcy from now on!
Your cake is beautiful! Mine was rather flat! I love the description of yours!!! Nice job!
This looks delicious!!! Yum!!! I forgot to add the icing…
Oh, you’re funny! Richard Gere and Chunky. I have to say I agree – after seeing Dorie’s picture, and yours, to find that there were prunes in this was just a little unfair. But it was better than I thought it would be!
Certainly looks gorgeous! I love prunes soaked in armangac cooked in a custard tart – do you like that combo?
I was scared of the prunes, but not anymore.
haha! i always hated chunky bars with a passion, but liked this cake…probably because of the booze.
Your cake looks so moist! Great job. I skipped this week I didnt have the booze needed to make it.
Ill just jump back in next week!
It’s a lady on the plate, but a freak with the flavah.
You crack my ass UP.
I’m with you – the prunes weren’t my thing. I think it would have been a completely fabulous cake without them though.
Ha! Love the analogy, too funny. Sorry the cake was not to your flavah! LOL!
~ingrid
Now that you mention it, I don’t think that Chunkys kissed on the mouth until they were saved by Richard. Sorry that the cake didn’t do it for you. It looks great, anyway!
Elyse: YES. The texture was so smooth otherwise. We were just not about those prunes. The chewiness. Yick.
Jennifer: Thanks! Mine was not exactly tall. It’s all about that camera angle.
Marthe: Did you really? Sounds like something I would do.
Audrey: Exactly. You’d think it was pure, smooth, lovely chocolate. The cake is a lie!
Dana: I’ve never tried that combo, but it sounds delicious. I think it was the lurking of the prunes that was objectionable.
chocolatechic: You liked it! I can see where it might grow on you.
steph: The booze was a big help. As always. ;)
danielle: Thanks! I’m looking forward to the lemon cup custard. Soooo ready for spring!
Susan: Word! I’m glad.
Melissa: Stupid prunes.
ingrid: Prunes! Blech.
Cathy: Ah, Richard. The Great Hooker Hope.
OMG, your post is sooo funny!
“It’s a lady on the plate, but a freak with the flavah.”
Hysterical!
Great metaphor! We’re not prune fans in the least, but we’d be tempted to try it anyways.
You are funny! Bummer that you didn’t like it! Maybe next week!
My grandmother ended up calling her prune cake a “Holiday Cake” so people would actually eat it! ;)
Too bad you didn’t like it. It looks gorgeous though.
Love your cake..nice work!
BINGO! That’s EXACTLY what it tastes like – a boozy Chunky! I haven’t had one of those in years, but I used to like them a lot. Must be why I liked this cake. Yours looks great, as usual!
LOL, a liquored up Chunky.
Hey, there’s always next week :)
mmmm, a liquored up chunky. oh yeah.
HAHAHAHAHAH It’s a lady on the plate but a freak with the flava!? LOVE IT! I didn’t like it much, either, though!!!
Haha, you’re too hilarious. “Lady on the plate but a freak with flavah”. Best quote ever. I can totally relate too – I’m not one for prunes.But I have ONE exception, and that’s Tzimmes
HAHA I am laughing to myself on the couch… you rock! Great looking Cake… yum
Fantastic! This is a great looking cake. It was fun with prunes, no?!
“a lady on the the place but a freak with the flavah” — Rebecca, i love how your mind works!!!
Despite the prunes, the cake looks moist, gooey, and fudgey. Great job.
Your cake looks beautiful. So sorry you didn’t like it so much. It happens, especially when there is a high expectation.
AmyRuth
Great analogy! I loved this cake, but understand prunes aren’t for everyone!
It wasn’t my thing either but yours looks gorgeous!
We didn’t do the prunes either, but I did substitute them with rum soaked reconstituted dehydrated pineapple and it was a HUGE hit! I loved your narrative though – I’m still smiling.
I can see how you wouldn’t want prunes interfering with your chocolate experience – that’s why I pureed mine in the food processor – all the flavor, none of the texture. It looks beautiful though!
Obviously, this is chocolate and I didn't give it a whirl, but my guys liked it. Matt said, "What's in here that looks like raisins but tastes different?" I hesitated…do I tell him and risk disgust, or do I just happily relay the news and hope it doesn't matter? I opted for honesty, figuring I could use the credits. He said, "Cool, it tastes great." They never looked back on this cake…two grown men, and one cake? Less than two days. I am not even kidding. Yours looks very beautiful…mine sort of had an accident and I had to smoosh it together, but hey, they had no problems with smooshed cake at all.
Sorry it wasn't your thing. Your cake looks great though. Thanks for baking along with me! :)