I think it’s safe to say that bundt cakes and I are friends now. Although they can be a wee bit tricky to get sorted recipe testing wise (the last few have really taken me for a run), they are so satisfying once the recipe is nailed - the pan does all the fancy work for you, and they are often fairly uncomplicated to make (I have a few doozys coming your way though), which makes them a great back pocket recipe if you need to make something in a pinch. They also make a solid amount of cake - a bundt cake usually serves at least 8-10 people, or my full sized husband over the course of a few days, who seems to eat baked goods as if i’ve never baked for him before.
This is a pretty simple chocolate bundt cake. I took King Arthur’s recipe, which I have made a few times, and made a few tweaks - upping the cocoa a touch and adding in some Nutella. The recipe is the perfect density, and is nice and moist from the sour cream in the recipe, and the chocolate really shines from the addition of strong coffee. The Nutella lent another layer of fudginess, which was the perfect finisher. It’s not overly forward on the Nutella flavour but - this cake doesn’t need a glaze, although Rich would like me to tell you that he made a double of this icing recipe, spread it on thick, then drowned it in sprinkles and it was amazing, even if it does feel like your teeth are going to dissolve from the sugar. I added chocolate chips the first time and definitely don’t recommend it - they all sink and things get super weird.
I used this pan for this cake - I love the pattern on it, and the cake released easily. Any 10 cup bundt pan will work though! I find that the key to the cake releasing nicely is to grease the pan well (the baking spray with flour in it works a charm), and using a recipe which is dense enough. I’ve had some shockers with testing and the recipe not being dense enough - there’s nothing that bums you out more than half the cake still being in the pan.
A few wee tips:
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I used two shots of coffee for the recipe because I wanted the coffee to really help the chocolate shine - I just used a nespresso machine and did two long shots. Make sure that you weigh it to make sure it’s the correct quantity.
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I used regular nutella in this, but if you have the time, a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread would be so good, or any other nutella alternative! You can also absolutely leave it out if you want!
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Another key to getting the cake to pop out nicely is the cooling time. 10 minutes is perfect - set the timer when you bring the cake out of the oven, then carefully turn it out onto a rack and let it cool completely.
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I like to let the batter sit for 5 mins in the bowl to help release any additional bubbles. During this time I grease the pan - you don’t want to grease too early, or the baking spray will settle in the grooves of the pan. I then give the bowl a good rap on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles, then transfer to the cake pan and give it another good rap.
Nutella Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Makes one Bundt Cake, Serves about 10-12 people
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour
225g butter, cut into small cubes
75g dutch process cocoa
200g Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread
240g hot, strong coffee (I used two long Nespresso shots - weigh to ensure that it is correct quantity)
115g sour cream or full fat yoghurt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
300g sugar
275g all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
- PROCESS -
Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the butter, cocoa, and Nutella. Pour the coffee over, and whisk to combine until smooth and all of the butter is melted. Set aside to cool slightly, then add the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, and mix well to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cooled chocolate mixture, and whisk to combine - use a flexible rubber spatula to make sure there are no dry parts at the bottom of the bowl.
Leave the batter to sit in the bowl for 5 minutes. During this time, spray a 10 cup bundt pan with non stick baking spray with flour, or spray with a baking spray and lightly dust with cocoa.
Rap the bowl of batter a few times on the counter to release any big air bubbles, then carefully transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan. Leave to stand for a further 2 minutes, then rap one more time. Place onto a sheet pan.
Bake the bundt cake for 60-65 minutes, testing for doneness after 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the deepest part of the cake comes out clean (this can be a little tricky to do - make sure you poke the skewer down to the middle part of the cake).
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack and allowing to cool completely.
Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container.
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