Actually, I really hope you CAN handle the Bundt cake. I know I posted a Bundt cake recipe just 9 days ago for Jack's 1/2 birthday. Since then, though, I made another 1/2 birthday cake for a friend, and I just can't NOT share it with you guys.
This cake is a Cocoa Bundt Cake. It's simple, but it's oh so good. Super moist, very rich, and topped with a shiny cocoa glaze...and some chocolate chips just in case you needed a bit more chocolate.
The recipe is adapted from Ina's Beatty's Chocolate Cake which is an adaptation of Hershey's Black Magic Cake. It's an adaptation of an adaptation. It's the Black Magic Cake's first cousin once removed. It's something like that. In any case, it's yummy. My version omits the water, adds sour cream and an extra egg.
The batter is easy. Start by sifting the dry ingredients.
Then, add the wet ingredients and mix. Done. No creaming butter, no whipping egg whites.
(Hello. My name is Bridget, and I'm a batteraholic.)
When the cake comes out of the oven, let it cool a bit, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. (This is the Bundt pan I used.)
Next up...the glaze. Oh, the glaze. I decided to make a version of the glaze from the Hostess Cupcake Cookies using natural cocoa instead of Dutch-process. I love how shiny it dries.
A scattering of mini chocolate chips is the finishing touch. The cake practically screams, "I'm chocolate!!!"
It's not the fanciest cake in the world, but I hope you can see from the picture how moist it is on the inside. Boo for dry chocolate cakes...they're the worst. Well, the worst after tres leches which is pretty much the opposite of dry chocolate cake. THAT is the worst. (I have strong feelings about tres leches.)
ANYHOO...if you're looking for an easy, moist, chocolatey cake, you've found it!
PS: here are the boxes I use for 1/2 birthday cake giving.
Cocoa Bundt Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
3/4 natural unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
mini chocolate chips
Stir together a bit of flour and cocoa. Grease Bundt pan. Flour with the flour/cocoa mixture making sure every nook and cranny is coated. Preheat oven to 350.
Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl of an electric mixer. In a large measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, sour cream, eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla together. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet mixture to the dry, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Beat until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack, lifting the pan off of the cake, and let cool completely.
Once cooled, make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Add the corn syrup, milk, and vanilla and whisk again until smooth. Add more milk or sugar as needed for consistency. Quickly pour over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
I promise, no more Bundts until at least...September. (Don't hold me to that.)