Chestnut & Brown Butter Pound Cake by Martin Sorges

Originally published by Martin Sorge in The Chicago Tribune, this cake is a showstopper in every sense of the word.

The hefty dose of luscious chestnut crème combined with nutty brown butter bestows a hearty, subtle, comforting flavor of chestnuts and also gives the cake the perfect tender, velvet-like crumb. Use our Spiced Chestnut Crème or make your own with fresh chestnuts. 

The dash of booze amps up the holiday vibes. Best of all, you make it in the food processor, and it comes together in no time. A drizzle of simple chocolate ganache turns it into a perfect centerpiece for your holiday celebrations. 

Make the Cake:

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the lower-middle position. Generously coat the inside of a large bundt pan with softened butter.
2. Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
3. Brown the butter: Put the pan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then bubble. Once the bubbles subside a bit and the butter gets quiet (yes, listen), turn the heat to medium-low and stir with a heatproof spatula, being sure to scrape the bottom. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, but rely on your senses. You want deeply golden brown, but not burnt, little bits on the bottom of the pan. You may have to scoot away bubbles to see down to the bottom. It will smell toasty and nutty. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Add the sugar, salt, chestnut cream and eggs in a food processor and blend for about 10 seconds until well mixed. Scrape down the side of the food processor and add the Armangac or rum. With the food processor running, drizzle in the hot browned butter, including the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Top the food processor and pour the mixture into a large bowl.
5. Sift half of the dry mixture onto the wet mixture and whisk until it’s about halfway mixed in. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and whisk until just barely combined. Avoid overmixing.
6. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the thickest part and a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs attached, for 40 to 50 minutes.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Make the Chocolate Ganache Glaze:

1. Combine the butter, sugar and salt in a bowl.
2. Combine the chopped chocolate and corn syrup in a heatproof measuring cup.
3. Bring the cream to a simmer and pour it over the chocolate in a small saucepan. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then add the vanilla and whisk vigorously until you have a smooth ganache. Let the ganache cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it has the texture of thick honey.
4. Set a cooling rack onto a piece of parchment paper to catch any drips. Set the cake on the rack, then pour the ganache over it, encouraging it to drip down the sides.
5. Garnish the top with chopped roasted chestnuts.
6. Let the ganache cool, then serve.

The cake lasts, covered at room temperature, for up to 3 days.