Well, they can’t always be pretty cakes…

I had an opportunity to bake a cake for more mouths than just my own, so I took advantage of it by making this bundt cake. I’ve been interested in bundt cakes for some time, but this is the first one that I’ve made.

I was able to identify a few problems.

1. Lubricant error: The original recipe says to use non-stick cooking spray to lubricate the bundt pan. I’ve never had success with the stuff, but I used it anyway. Of course, it didn’t work, and the top of the cake stuck in the pan. I was able to extract the top of the cake and place it on its bottom half adequately, but it wasn’t pretty. Next time I bake a bundt, I’m buttering and flouring to my heart’s content.
2. Measurement error: I incorrectly read 2 tbsp. flour instead of 2 tsp. flour in the cheesecake filling. This meant that I tripled the amount of required flour. The result was a cheesecake filling that was more cakey than creamy.
3. Location error: The original recipe tells you to pour more than half of the cake batter into the bundt pan, followed by the filling and the remaining batter. More than half probably means a split of 70/30, not my 55/45. The filling will sink to the bottom during baking, so the more batter it has to work through, the closer to the middle of the bundt cake it will be. For my bundt cake, the filling basically made it all the way to the top of the cake, which may have also helped stick the cake to the pan.
4. Cooling error: I never know when the right amount of cooling is for ganache, but I also didn’t have a ton of time to wait. My ganache needed more cooling, probably to a temperature that is just viscous enough to pour so that it doesn’t run off everywhere.

Despite how it looks, however, the reviews were mostly positive. In fact, most of the cake eaters thought that this was one of the best chocolate cakes that I’ve made. It had a deep chocolate taste, moist cake, and tender crumb, all the things that you would like in a chocolate cake. Everyone agreed they could have gone without the cheesecake filling, although this was related to the aforementioned baker error.

My wife commented when we returned home with about half the cake that this might be the first time she joins me in having a second slice. She also relayed that she enjoyed that it didn’t have too much of a sweet frosting, but a perfect amount of glaze to add more moisture to the cake. Then she at her leftover Dairy Queen Blizzard instead…

…and I ate half of a cake.

CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE W/ CHEESECAKE FILLING
Based on recipe found here.

INGREDIENTS

Cheesecake Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. all-purpose flour

Cake:
3/4 cup (60 g) dutch-processed cocoa powder
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbsp. espresso powder
3/4 cup boiling water
1 3/4 cups (224 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 cups (400 g) light brown sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
5 large eggs, room temperature

Glaze:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. light corn syrup
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 12-cup bundt pan.
2. For the filling: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer until combined.
3. Add the egg, vanilla, and flour and beat until combined. Set aside.
4. For the cake: In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
5. Combine cocoa powder, chocolate, and espresso powder in a large glass bowl.
6. Pour the boiling water over top and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth and cool to room temperature. When it has cooled, whisk in the sour cream.
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
8. Lower speed to low, and add the eggs one at a time until combined.
9. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until the batter is smooth.
10. Pour two-thirds of the batter into the prepared pan.
11. Carefully spoon the cheesecake filling into the center of the batter, preventing it from touching the edges of the pan.
12. Pour the remaining one-third of the batter over the filling.
13. Bake for 50-65 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
14. Let the cakes cool 10-20 minutes, then remove the cake to cool completely.
15. For the glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the cream and corn syrup over medium heat until hot.
16. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, whisking until smooth.
17. Let the mixture cool until thickened, then drizzle over the cooled cake.
18. Let the glaze set at room temperature (at least 10 minutes) before serving.