Chocolate-Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Mocha Frosting

A few weeks ago when my family visited I had sprained my foot, so I needed to go back to a foolproof and easy recipe for dessert.  This is a wonderful very chocolaty bundt cake recipe that I’d pulled out of an old Bon Appetit magazine a few years ago.

I’ve been using my Mom’s original bundt pan from the 1970’s – it’s harvest gold –  for this recipe but I don’t think I can do that for much longer because some of the coating is starting to chip.  I think I’ll just have to retire it and keep it for the memories.  I don’t mind getting a new pan from Nordic Ware though because I love that their products are made in America and they’re well made.

I’m told this cake is dangerous and addicting, so try it but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Be sure to spray your bundt pan with plenty of cooking spray before pouring the batter into the pan.  And, a bit of harvest gold peeking through the middle.

Ready for the oven.

Hot out of the oven.

Iced and ready to go.

Don’t you want a slice?  I wish there were scratch ‘n sniff computers, so you would know how good this smells.

Enjoy.

Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Mocha Frosting

Yield:  12 – 16 servings                Cook Time:  50 minutes

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips

Icing:

• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (if you want a more subtle mocha flavor, use 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions:

Step 1:  For the cake:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Boil water and dissolve cocoa powder and espresso powder in it.  Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and mix well.

Step 2:  Take about 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and mix it into the chocolate chips in a small bowl and set aside.  Mixing the flour with the chocolate chips will help prevent the chips from falling while baking along with some additional steps I’ve incorporated into the process.

Step 3:  Beat brown sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer to blend.  Beat in eggs one at a time until well incorporated.  Beat for another minute until smooth.  Add about half of the flour mixture until combined, then beat in the cocoa mixture until combined and then beat in the remaining flour mixture until combined.

Step 4:  Spray a large bundt pan liberally with cooking spray.  Pour some of the batter (about 1 1/2 cups) into the bottom of the bundt pan.  Fold chocolate chips into the remaining batter.  Pour the remaining batter into the bundt pan.

Step 5:  Bake about 50 minutes.  Test with a toothpick inserted near center at 45 minutes – it should be clean.  If the toothpick isn’t clean test again in 5 minutes.  Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes.  Gently jostle the cake to loosen it from the pan sides.  Depan cake inverted onto a cooling.  Cool another 30 minutes.

Step 6:  For the icing:  While the cake is cooling, stir brown sugar, espresso powder, and water in small saucepan or small frying pan over medium heat.  Stir continually until sugar melts.  Remove from heat and mix in butter and chocolate chips.  Stir until butter and chocolate melt and butter is completely incorporated.  Cool until frosting thickens a little.

Step 7:  Transfer cake to a serving dish.  Drizzle icing over cake making sure it drips down the sides a little.  Let cake cool completely.  It’s time to eat.  If you have any leftovers, this cake keeps well at room temperature.  If you like chocolate cold, chill the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Enjoy!!!

Recipe adapted slightly from Bon Appetit.

Homemade Devil Dogs

For Memorial Day my husband and I were invited to my friend and neighbor’s house for a barbecue.  His brother and sister were visiting and we hadn’t seen them for a few years, so it was a nice get together for us all.  I usually like to bring a few things but they didn’t want me to do any work until I suggested making some dessert.  Who can say no to Devil Dogs and Fauxtess Cupcakes.  Yes, I made them again.

There are plenty of copy-cat recipes for Devil Dogs on the internet but I haven’t tried them because I get so many protests from my husband, family and friends that have tasted this recipe.  Although I’m not partial to the filling, this recipe is a hit with everyone that’s tried it.

Enjoy.

Homemade Devil Dogs

Yield:  15 – 18 cake sandwiches                Cook Time:  12 – 14 minutes

Ingredients

Cakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 cup milk
• 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Step 1:  For the cakes:  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2:  Whisk together the first five ingredients for the cake to combine.  Stir in the remaining three ingredients until moistened.

Step 3:  Transfer the mixture into a large Ziploc plastic bag.  Cut a 1/2 inch from the corner of the bag.  Pipe 3 1/2  by 1 inch logs, about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.  There should be approximately 12 per cookie sheet.  Bake 12 – 14 minutes.  The cakes should be firm to the touch.  Cool on wire racks.

Step 4:  For the filling:  In a medium saucepan, begin heating milk over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour.  Continue cooking over medium heat until thickened for about 5 minutes.  Be sure to whisk often while cooking.  Cool mixture in a bowl.

Step 5:  Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until fluffy.  Add the vanilla and milk mixture and beat until smooth.

Step 6:  Pair together like sized cakes.  Using a spatula, spread about 2 – 3 tablespoons of the filling on the flat side of one of the paired cakes and top with the second cake, flat side down.  Repeat with remaining cakes.

Enjoy!!!

Cakes adapted from Family Circle.
Filling adapted from Country Living.