Tunnel of Fudge Cake

How could you not love it already? With a title like that?!! I couldn't wait to make it and believe me, it did not disappoint. This is a simple chocolate bundt cake, almost like a chocolate pound cake, but with a surprise gooey chocolatey center. If you like chocolate and let's face it, can you really like anybody who doesn't, you need to make this cake!

The first time I made this cake we were stuck at home on a cold snowy day and this really lifted all of our spirits. The next time I made this cake I shipped it 3,000 miles away to LA for my son's birthday where he enjoyed it under sunny perfect 75º skies. Under totally opposite weather conditions, people had the same reaction:  THIS IS FANTASTIC!! Which leads me to conclude that you can safely make this cake in any season and people will cheer.

You start by coating a bundt pan with a mixture of cocoa powder and butter so that the outside of the cake bakes up deliciously dark--

Then you mix up a whole lot of yummy ingredients till you get a nice looking batter in that bundt pan

And then you bake it and magic happens!! 

There's an actual "tunnel" of fudgy chocolate running through your cake...even when it's cooled...even three days later when you stuff the last piece you've been hiding, into your mouth. It's so-o-o good! The original recipe calls for a ganache-like glaze, but I thought (and forgive me for actually uttering these words) that there was enough chocolate without it!  I know, I know, I can't believe it either, but I just like it the simple way. If you want to dress it up more though, feel free to go ahead and use the glaze. By the way, I first saw this recipe on another blog I love, @Annieeats, who I believe adapted it from Cooks Illustrated Entertaining, 2010.  Annie's got a lot of wonderful recipes and her posts are fun and informative. Definitely take a look.

But back to the cake. By now you're thinking, "I wish she would just stop talking about it and get to the recipe so that I can start making it", right? Ok, I get the point!

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Tunnel of Fudge Cake

12-14 servings

Prep Time:  20 minutes;  Bake Time:  40-45 minutes: Total Time:  About 1 hour

Ingredients

For the pan:

• 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

For the glaze:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 8 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Recipe

1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and butter and using a pastry brush, evenly coat the inside of a 12-cup bundt pan.

2.  In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for a minute, then whisk until smooth. In another medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, and salt. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the eggs and vanilla and beat lightly.

3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add in the egg mixture just until combined. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until incorporated. Then, blend in the dry ingredients until just combined. Spread the batter into the bundt pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the edges of the cake begin to pull away from the pan.

4.  Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 1 1/2 hours before inverting onto rack to cool completely.

5.  To make the glaze, combine the cream, corn syrup and chocolate in a small saucepan.  Heat over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Blend in the vanilla. Remove from the heat and let it sit for about 30 minutes until slightly thickened. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it set for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!