Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Fudge Icing

Hey everyone! I know you’ve read about Camp Blogaway and all the wonderful people I met there! Today, I’m excited to introduce you to one of my roommates from Camp. Please welcome Maria from “Scrumptious and Sumptuous!” At camp, Maria and I hit it off right away. We’re both teachers. We both love being in the mountains and for both of us, it was our first time attending Camp Blogaway. I asked her to guest post while I am at IFBC Not only did she graciously agree, she brought a Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Fudge Icing!!! Wait until you see this recipe. I can’t wait to make it when I get home! Take it away, Maria!

I absolutely love Sara’s enthusiastic approach to life. Not only could I see this when I met her in person, but her blog posts ooze excitement and energy and a zest for life. Meeting her a few months ago at Camp Blogaway made the experience of attending solo much more comfortable because she welcomed me with her friendliness. Of course, I happily agreed to guest post for her when she asked me.

Sara requested that I share one of my favorite recipes. Now that just left the choices too wide open for me! I have so many favorites. My mind whirled for days, but it kept returning to chocolate–chocolate cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting in particular, a recipe shared with me by my husband’s stepmom. However, I didn’t want to write about something I’d already posted on my blog.

But chocolate thoughts kept saturating my brain. Then I had the opportunity to make dessert for a summer visit, so I made this chocolate bundt cake I had bookmarked to bake. Perfect choice for both the visit and to share with Sara’s readers.

Now, I have quite a few chocolate bundt cake recipes I’ve saved to test out someday (and even one I wrote about that didn’t work out yet I transformed into a chocolate berry trifle), but this particular cake shot right to the top of the chocolate bundt cake list. I mean, just look at it. You can see the intense chocolate flavor and the denseness just by looking at the picture. But the thick layer of chocolate fudge icing immediately sent an arrow through my heart. I can’t resist chocolate on chocolate. Yes, you could easily dust this with a light shower of powdered sugar. But why? Why not go all out and just load it up with even more chocolate goodness! Be careful, though, because you will want to eat that icing with a spoon (I know from experience!).

So readers, I present to you an absolutely chocolatey moist bundt cake layered with divinely sweet chocolate fudge icing, perfect to make for a dinner party, a luncheon, a shower, a birthday…or just for the heck of it because we really don’t need any excuses for making chocolate desserts, right?

Chocolate Bundt Cake w/Chocolate Fudge Icing

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tbsp. cocoa powder

3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), finely chopped (I used Ghiradelli)

1 tsp. instant espresso powder (optional, but it deepens the chocolate flavor)

3/4 cup boiling water

1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups light brown sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

5 eggs, at room temperature

For the Icing

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

6 tbsp. evaporated milk

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (to remove any lumps)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

Prepare the bundt cake pan by combining 1 tbsp. melted butter and 1 tbsp. cocoa powder until powder fully dissolves into the butter.

Use a pastry brush to coat the entire inside of a 12-cup bundt pan with the butter mixture.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine 3/4 cup cocoa powder, chopped chocolate, and espresso powder.

Pour boiling water into the bowl; whisk until mixture is thoroughly melted and smooth.

Allow to cool to room temperature.

When cooled, add sour cream and mix thoroughly.

In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium; add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Reduce speed to medium-low; add 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/2 of the chocolate mixture, mixing until just incorporated.

Scrape sides of the mixing bowl, then add 1/2 of the remaining flour as well as all the remaining chocolate mixture; mix until just incorporated.

Add the last of the flour and mix on medium-low for about 30 seconds to thoroughly combine the batter.

Pour batter into prepared bundt pan; bake until skewer inserted into center of cake comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 45-50 minutes.

Place pan on wire cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn cake out onto rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.

To make icing: In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, add butter, cocoa powder, and evaporated milk; bring to a boil, whisking occasionally.

Add powdered sugar (but sift it to remove any lumps, which will make a smoother icing), vanilla extract, and salt; whisk continuously until mixture becomes smooth, about 30 seconds.

Remove pan from heat immediately and pour icing over top of cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

Work quickly as the icing hardens quickly.

Store cake at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days.

Cake also freezes well; just wrap tightly in plastic wrap then store in a resealable bag.

Notes

SOURCE: Brown-Eyed Baker who got recipe from Cook’s Illustrated and icing from Ryan Bakes

If you want more of Maria’s DELICIOUS recipes, follow her on her blog “Scrumptious and Sumptuous”
or find her on Facebook at Scrumptious and Sumptuous!