Chocolate-Bourbon-Bitter Almond Chiffon Cake

This cake was a bit of an experiment for a coworker's birthday.  We have lots of bourbon leftover from last year's BBQ sauce (Christmas gifts to family), so it made sense to see how it tasted in a chiffon.  Chocolate felt like a natural match, as did bitter almond.  The Birthday Girl is not a fan of the 7-minute frosting that normally tops my boozy chiffons, so I took the way-back train to this frosting recipe.  I was a young girl living overseas teaching myself to cook when I stumbled on to this cooked version.  Although it is the best frosting I've ever tasted, I rarely use Crisco.  That may change after a re-taste.  What a treat!

Chocolate-Bourbon-Burned Almond Chiffon Cake
All ingredients should be ~70 degrees, if possible.

Preheat oven to 325.

Melt 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate over water (or in microwave). Set aside to cool.

Sift together then set aside:
1 - 1/8 cup cake flour
1/2 c sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 t salt

Beat until smooth:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 egg yolks
3 ounces bourbon
1 t vanilla extract
1 teaspoon bitter almond extract (substitute almond extract)

Add flour to egg-oil mix and beat. Add cooled chocolate all at once and continue beating until smooth and incorporated. Set aside.

In clean bowl beat 8 egg whites and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. Add 1/4 sugar as whites start to foam. Continue beating until whites are VERY stiff.

Gently fold whites into flour-egg-oil mix until well incorporated, but taking care to keep airy.

Pour batter into ungreased Angel food or springform pan and bake ~1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare simple syrup (I don’t measure this - just kind of eyeball) of sugar and about 1/4 cup water (should taste pretty sweet). Heat to boil, remove from heat, pour into measuring cup. Add enough bourbon make 1/2 cup syrup.

When cake is cool, pour half of the syrup over top.  Remove cake from pan and place top side down on serving plate. Pour remaining syrup over cake.

Chocolate layer:
Melt one cup of chocolate chips or favorite chocolate in double boiler.  Add a good amount of cream.  Pour or spread over top of cake.

Creamy White Frosting:
This recipe comes from an old community cookbook.  If you don't do hydrogenated fats substitute your favorite frosting.  Next time I make this cake I will double this recipe (as you can see from the photo, it didn't quite cover the cake).

Whisk 1/4 cup cream and 2 1/2 tablespoons cake flour over medium heat until thick.  Cool completely.

Cream 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup Crisco, and 1/2 cup sugar.  Add cooled roux and beat on high for 5 minutes. Spread over cake.

At this point you can serve as is, or decorate with chopped chocolate or almonds.