Double Chocolate Bundt Cake! The double hit of chocolate in this cake comes from the dark cocoa batter plus a silky ganache glaze. I wanted to bring you a classic chocolate cake that strives for perfection, or at least my idea of it. I love a finely textured, tender-crumbed cake and this cake is exactly that. The velvety crumb comes thanks to the reverse-creaming method, which just means you beat all of the dry ingredients with the butter and most of the liquid before beating in the eggs. From how I understand it, this coats the flour with fat (BUTTER!) and helps keep the gluten strands short (like tender shortbread or shortcake) instead of long (like chewy bread or pizza crust) resulting in an ultra-tender cake crumb that is reminiscent of pound cake with a little less butter.
I tested this cake several times to get it just right with the perfect texture, deep chocolate flavor, and a ganache that’s neither too thick or thin. I used dutch-processed cocoa powder here for its dark cocoa color and deep chocolate flavor–I have tried many brands over the years but have been loyal to Valrhona for several years running now, I honestly think it’s incomparable and totally worth it. That said, use whatever Dutched cocoa is your favorite! I sent a few batches of this bundt to Sean’s office and he got an email + a few walk-ins requesting the recipe, which always bodes well for any baked good.
Notes:
As noted, I use Dutch-processed cocoa here. It’s a process that means the cocoa powder has been neutralized of acidity in a washing process, making it noticeably darker in color than natural cocoas (like Hershey’s and other national brands) with a slightly different, somewhat bittersweet flavor (think Oreos). (Info found on Serious Eats, visit their article for more info on the difference between natural and Dutched cocoas).
I’ve made this cake with both store-bought buttermilk and acidulated milk. I prefer the straight-up buttermilk and it’s something I usually have on hand, but acidulated milk works as well. For 1 cup of acidulated milk, just mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with enough milk (I used 2 percent) to equal 1 cup. For this recipe 1 did 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon of lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1 1/4 cups total.
I add a little bit of neutral oil (I used canola, any neutral oil will work) to the ganache glaze in this recipe. It’s a totally optional addition but I find it ensures a glossy glaze that drips beautifully down the sides of the bundt without being too gloopy or diluting the chocolate flavor with additional cream.
There are lots of beautiful bundt pans that work for this cake, make sure to use one that holds at least a 10-cup capacity.
This cake keeps like a dream! Once it is cooled and the glaze has set, wrap it well in plastic. It will last at least 4 days at room temperature.
- 1 cup butter (8oz/226g)
- 2¼ cups sugar (16oz/454g)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (8.8oz/250g)
- ¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (3oz/85g)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1¼ cups buttermilk, divided
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
- Ganache glaze:
- 3 oz chocolate
- ½ cup cream
- a pinch kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously spray (or butter) a 10-cup bundt pan well with baking spray.
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until creamy. In another bowl combine the sugar and flour, sift in the cocoa (cocoa powder tends to be lumpy, so don’t skip sifting!) and then add the baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the butter in the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on low and add 1 cup of the buttermilk. Beat everything together until just combined, then turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for 4 minutes until the batter is fluffy.
- In a large measuring glass or spouted bowl, whisk the remaining ¼ cup of buttermilk with the eggs, vanilla extract, and instant espresso powder. Beat the egg mixture into the batter on medium-low speed in 3 additions, scraping the bowl well after each, until completely combined. After adding the last of the egg mixture, turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for 30 seconds. Pour the batter evenly (or use a large levered scoop/disher) into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Rap the filled pan on the counter a few times (if you are worried about damaging your countertop, set a towel down underneath the pan) to make sure the batter fills all the crevices.
- Set the bundt pan on top of a baking sheet (to catch any potential overflow, though there shouldn’t be any with this recipe and pan size) and bake on the center rack of the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before turning out to cool completely before icing. The cake will pull away from the sides of the pan as it cools.
- Ganache glaze:
- Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave (or on the stove) in 30-second intervals steaming and hot to the touch. Pour the cream over the chocolate and cover with a plate, let the cream and chocolate sit for 5 minutes, add a pinch of salt and the oil, then whisk until smooth (if there are any residual lumps of unmelted chocolate, microwave for about 15 seconds and whisk again). Spoon the ganache over the cooled bundt.
This cake keeps like a dream! Once it is cooled and the glaze has set, wrap it well in plastic. It will last at least 4 days at room temperature.
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Oh yes ! Classic it is !