Chocolate Cake Shot

Recreating the flavor of chocolate cake seems like a pretty easy task, especially if you’re using chocolate-flavored things to do it. But this namesake shot tastes like the real thing, even though there’s nothing actually chocolatey about it. We’re talking about the phenomenon that is the Chocolate Cake Shot. Vodka and Frangelico come together in this simple mix to somehow create the experience of liquid chocolate cake. Add a sugared rim to the glass, and you have a sweet, satisfying shooter that even the most shot-averse people will love.

If you’re not familiar with Frangelico, now’s the time to get acquainted. The classic Italian liqueur is made from Tonda Gentile hazelnuts, which are found in Italy’s Piedmont region. They are combined with coffee, cocoa and vanilla distillates to create a rich, golden liquid that many enjoy on ice as an after dinner drink. When stirred together with vodka, the mix tastes like rich, fluffy chocolate cake. The shot is often served with a lemon wedge for a bright citrus finish, but it’s not absolutely necessary if you don’t have any lemons around.

Of course, the tastiness of this shot depends on the quality of spirits you use. If you make it with a bottom-shelf vodka, you’re going to get a bottom-shelf drink. But that doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of cash, either, because there are plenty of decent bottlings that cost less than $10. Whether you’re throwing a birthday party, need a fun drink to cap off a dinner or simply want a taste of chocolate cake without having to turn the oven on, whip up a batch of these shots for a fun, crowd-pleasing tipple.