This Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe looks elegant but is secretly easy to make. Good strong coffee and bourbon knock its taste out of this world. With an even crumb and delicate texture, it makes an ideal corporate chocolate bundt cake.
This chocolate ring cake is no ordinary chocolate cake!
What makes this chocolate ring cake so special
Inside you’ll find nearly 2 cups of strong coffee and a quarter cup of bourbon.
Yes, you can trade the bourbon for another whiskey or just for more coffee. But I recommend using the bourbon if you have some on hand.
Bourbon has a wonderfully smoky flavor and the cooking process cooks out most of the alcohol.
So using it is more like using vanilla, just a different flavor note. The cake doesn’t taste like coffee – the coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor.
This recipe came from my chef friend, Kathi Riley, who worked with chef Judy Rodgers at the historic Union Hotel in Benicia, California (in front of the Zuni Cafe) in the early 1980’s. This cake recipe was a favorite on the menu there and was served with whipped cream.
The cake has an even, fine crumb, a complex chocolate flavor and is relatively light. Perfect to combine with vanilla ice cream. I hope you like it as much as we do!
The best chocolate for this Gugelhupf
For a truly standout cake, use the best chocolate you can. Specifically, look for bittersweet chocolate—70% cocoa works well—because it contains more cocoa solids and less sugar than semi-sweet chocolate. Bars are best, but you can (and should) make this with chocolate chips if you have them on hand.
CONTINUE READING:
How to store chocolate bundt cakes
Cover with a cake topper or plastic wrap and store on the countertop for up to 3 days. Then store tightly closed in the refrigerator for up to a further 4 days. Note: It will begin to dry out if left in the fridge.
Freeze the whole cake or slices tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and a layer of foil for up to 2 months.
More chocolate cake recipes to try
- Chocolate Layer Cake
- Texas layer cake
- Black forest gateau
- Flourless Chipotle Chocolate Cake
- Mint Chocolate Pudding Cake
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Chocolate ring cake
The baking temperature is lower than one would normally use to bake a cake – 275°F.
If you skip the whiskey, just use more coffee.
If using salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/8 teaspoon.
ingredients
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7 ounces Dark chocolate (approx. 70% cocoa), finely chopped
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1/2 cup (113 G) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
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1 3/4 cups heavily brewed Coffee
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1/4 Cup Bourbon whiskey
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3/4 teaspoon kosher Salt
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2 cups all purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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2 big eggs
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1 1/2 cups sugar
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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3 tablespoon Cocoa, for dusting the Bundt cake pan
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1 tablespoon Powdered sugar, for dusting the cake
special equipment
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2 liter bundt pan
method
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Preheat oven and prepare pan:
Preheat oven to 275°F. Lightly grease the inside of a 2-quart bundt pan with butter. Sprinkle the cocoa over the butter and tap off the excess. Put aside.
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Melting Chocolate and Butter with Coffee, Bourbon, and Salt:
Place a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with an inch or two of water, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the metal bowl. Place chocolate, butter, coffee, bourbon, and salt in metal bowl. Heat the pot on a low flame. (You create a double boiler to gently melt the chocolate mixture.)
Stir occasionally while the chocolate melts. Once the mixture is melted and smooth, remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes (you can chill it in the fridge if you want to speed up this process).
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Mix the dry ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda vigorously.
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Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla (you can use a hand mixer or stand mixer) until fluffy.
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Finishing the dough:
Once the chocolate mixture has cooled sufficiently, slowly beat it into the egg and sugar mixture. Then stir in the flour mixture by a third. Whisk until smooth. (The batter will be quite runny. Don’t worry.)
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Bake:
Pour the batter into the prepared Gugelhupf tin. Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool slightly, then demould:
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack until completely cooled to room temperature.
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Sprinkle with powdered sugar:
Place cake on a serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if using. To serve, slice with a serrated bread knife. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 282 | calories |
| 13g | Fat |
| 35g | carbohydrates |
| 4g | protein |
