the guy who knows everyone
Recipe: chocolate chunk bundt cake
yup, this one
Talk about superconnected. That would be Andrew. I feel like a mountain hermit as it is, but hanging out with Andrew makes me feel like I’m visiting Boulder… from Mars. We met for lunch at The Kitchen yesterday and indulged in some good conversation over awesome salads. It’s always a struggle for me to figure out whether to go with what I love or try something new. You ever have that problem at a restaurant? I went with what I knew – the poached salmon salad – since I felt risk-averse (read: tired).
andrew’s chopped chicken salad
I’m not exaggerating about Andrew knowing everyone. In 15 minutes, we encountered several of his buds and random Boulderite personalities while sitting outside of his favorite coffee shop on Pearl Street, Trident Café. I was particularly fascinated by the young woman whose arms and shoulders were covered in tats. That must be a great conversation starter.
thirsty
I am firmly on the outside of that culture, but it’s quite fascinating to get a peek in while hanging with the equivalent of Julie McCoy, your ship’s cruise director. Of course, I’m not chilling with Andrew for the social scene – he’s a really bright, innovative, and sincere fellow. I learn a lot talking with him. Just that, he’s so young he doesn’t even know what a payphone is…
and this is?
Kidding!
Since I lunched at The Kitchen yesterday, I figured it was a good time to post a recipe I recently tried from their website. Their desserts tend to sit on the modest side – solid home-style cooking executed to perfection. Don’t confuse modest with mediocre though. The Kitchen is never mediocre. I was in search of something straightforward and well… easy.
egg yolks into the batter
I think I need to get back to those simpler baking recipes. There is something to be said for mixing everything in one bowl, pouring it into one pan, and baking it only once. I’m all for less time in the oven and I suppose, less time in the kitchen as summer nears. I made the chocolate chunk bundt cake with a slight modification to the cake itself – it was chocolate too.
measuring out the kahlua
There was an unintentional test-drive with the first cake because I took it out of the oven too early (discombobulation abounded that day). And then it stuck to the pan (more discombobulation). When I finally pried all of the pieces out, it was obvious that the middle was totally undercooked. It would have been like the tunnel of fudge cake except it wasn’t.
add chocolate chunks (could have been chunkier)
The second time around, I made sure it was baked through and I also dusted the pan with cocoa powder instead of sugar because I got paranoid. Just hate when cakes stick to pans. I think dusting with sugar would have tasted a little better, but the cake slid out like a dream with the cocoa dusting on round number two.
fold in the egg whites
So how was it? Not overly sweet, which I prefer. That might also be because I used a bittersweet dark chocolate. The cake had a moist and moderately dense crumb with pockets of chocolate distributed throughout. I made a note to myself to chop the chocolate a little more coarsely next time so that the chocolate chunks would be more prominent.
pour into a bundt pan
It isn’t my favorite chocolate cake (in search of: ultimate moist, dense, chocolate cake), but it is versatile. Dress it up with some whipped cream and berries for dessert, or serve it plain (or dusted in confectioner’s sugar) for breakfast, brunch, or tea. I sent the cake to our neighbors’ houses and they loved it. This was one of the lighter chocolate bundt cakes I’ve ever had. The chunks of chocolate are popular with chocolate lovers.
moist, chocolaty, good anytime
Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Bundt Cake
[print recipe]
slightly modified from The Kitchen
8 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 egg yolks
6 tbsps coffee liqueur
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsps baking powder (reduced to 1/2 tsp at 8500 ft.)
1 tsp baking soda (reduced to 1/4 tsp at 8500 ft.)
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (leave some good chunks)
6 egg whites
1/2 tsp salt
Oven to 325°F. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add one egg yolk at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the liqueur and yogurt until combined. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and chocolate into the bowl. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt to stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter and pour the contents into a well-buttered and sugared (or cocoa powder-dusted) 12-cup bundt pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes (or until center just passes the toothpick test). Remove from oven and let cool for another 30 minutes. Remove from the pan.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:48 am
Oh. Wow. I will love anything with two chocolate’s in the title :)
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:02 am
I know what you are searching for and I join you in that search! I want one of those ultra-rich and dense (but not too sweet) cakes in my repetoire. I remember one from my childhood that I adored and finally got the recipe from my mom. It had margerine in it and tasted nothing like I remembered – my child palate adored it, but my adult palate did not. Please let us know if you find “that” cake!
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:26 am
You make even the most modest recipes look AMAZING.
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:34 am
Ah, the good old days… When one used up all of 6 eggs! Hee hee. I actually notice that classics tend to be more popular posts, I guess we are all looking for that perfect one! *yes* to dark bittersweet, please! The cake looks beautiful, and yay for the whole thing coming out in one piece :)
I actually tried Matt Lewis’s Root Beer Bundt Cake, and its depth, moistness and darkness impressed me. Downside is that it has a rootbeer aftertaste, which you may not like :)
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:46 am
I love it, I’ll put it in my “need to try” list
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:49 am
I may still have THE ultimate chocolate cake recipe…I’m going to have to look for it.
My dad’s a chef and one of their restaurants has an AMAZING
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:49 am
**HUGE, chocolate cake =)
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:58 am
This is the best tasting chocolate cake I’ve found. Not too chocolaty either and the size is just right.
http://thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com/2009/02/portable-chocolate-snack-cake.html
My kids love it. I make it all the time.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:14 am
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yum
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 am
Oh yum. The hunk, too :-D
Everything in one pan is my kind of baking and cooking.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
I love the picture of Andrew looking quizzically at the pay phone!
That cake looks delish! I agree, you can make a modest cake look amazing!
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
I’m such a sucker for bundt cakes. The shape, the elegance of each slice – good thing I just added a bundt pan to my pan collection :)
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:11 am
That salad is amazing and the cake is fantastic! What yummy food!
Cheers,
Rosa
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:30 am
Even with slight tics here and there, it still looks as beautiful as anything else you bake. Now that I finally made my first cake, I’m reading your baking posts with a new perspective. A perspective like… I could make that too. It surprised me, but I think I actually really like baking. :D
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:40 am
Mmmm, this looks amazingly tasty! :)
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:48 am
Wow wow i want to have a huge slice of this cake.
Looks beautiful and so so yummy.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I love bundt cakes for all of the reasons you just mentioned, also because they can be so darn pretty (when the pan releases correctly) despite being barely any work. Just call me lazy.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Have you tried the Hershey’s chocolate cake? I heard it is very moist. I plan to try that one soon.
Your pictures, as always, are awesome!
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Love the bundt pan. It’s my go-to pan when I want to make a cake and only use “one pan” instead of doing layers and assembling the cake.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:50 pm
that little bit of coffee liqueur makes alllll the difference I bet.
I made muffins like this, sans the liqueur, and it was so good. So much chocolate that half of one cured my cravings.
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Looks delicious. My bundt pan is actually one of my newest acquisitions, so I’m eager to try some new recipes so I can use it! :)
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:20 pm
It looks beeyootiful! I like cakes that aren’t too sweet so you don’t feel like you’ve licked clean the bottom of a bag of sugar after eating it. As for ordering in restaurants, I usually try to retain a sense of adventure, so I would’ve ordered something new,… but then spent the rest of my meal wishing I’d ordered what I know I like!
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I really shouldn’t read your blog right before I start making dinner. I think we’re having chocolate bundt cake instead, it looks awesome!
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:46 pm
I know we have already established my computer had issues but the link to The Kitchen is not working from here. A quick Google search and I found it and looked at the dessert recipes and that almond tart with cherries sound delicious…or maybe Angel Food Cake :)
I cannot imagine not having a good time with Andrew, that smart baby face :)
Well, the cake is staring at me for dinner…not fair! Looks outstanding and I can almost smell it from here!
Oh and I promise not to twitt with you too late tonight :)
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:52 pm
my goodness! jen, i read once that you enrolled in a baking/pastry class.. could you tell me which class that was? thanks!
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:52 pm
and p.s. – andrew’s a cutie!
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:53 pm
slober, slober, drool, drool. Oh my God- talk about chocolate amazingness.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Yum! This looks like something I will like to try on my KA! hee hee! seems like you had a great day out with Andrew! A cool meeting for a food blogger with another food blogger!
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 pm
i love a bundt cake…
especially if they feature chocolate.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
I like how you dressed up your cake.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Moist and chocolatey…two things I love in a cake.
April 24th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Look no further than another of our favorite food bloggers – Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/ganached-guinness-goodness/ for the “most ultimate moist, dense, chocolate cake.”
It’s my go-to cake and ALWAYS requested when I’m assigned dessert. Enjoy!
April 24th, 2009 at 10:49 am
gah! I could so go for that right now… in need of chocolate badly…
i used to have the best flourless chocolate cake, but I can’t find the recipe…must look for it soon.
I’m bummed that you disabled right-click, because i can’t type or spell for shit and now I can’t self correct in firefox, but it still TELLS me when I fuck up. :)
April 24th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
That is one seriously good looking cake Jen, very nice indeed!
April 25th, 2009 at 6:22 am
I visit your blog a few days ago via Mark´s site . Believe me I stay here almost two hours (Time flies when we have fun) I love everything, the photos, your place is truly heavenly and the recipes are fabulous and well explained
April 25th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Joey – I always used to think that was a funny thing, but after making chocolate chocolate whatsit cakes and desserts, it TOTALLY makes sense now ;)
Dana – I know it’s out there… If you find it, let me know. I have a bunch of recipes lined up to try, but – I just can’t eat that much chocolate cake. I only want a nibble ;) I’ll be sure to post when I find the chocolate cake of my dreams :)
Macie – you’re sweet.
Mark – I like that: not having extra egg whites or yolks. that root beer bundt sounds good… I’ll have to tuck that into the “to do” list. Thanks!
Nico – ;)
Brittany – oh boy, if you get your hands on it, I’d love to have a peek! Thank you :)
Lisa – I’ll take a look. Thanks for the rec.
Charlane – :)
Manisha – you always make me laugh, lady.
TheKitchenWitch – he’s a funny one, no? thanks, the cake does it all on its own, I’m pretty sure ;)
Caitlin – I love my bundt pan too. All of those fancy pans… they’ve got nothing on my bundt! tee hee.
Rosa – thanks!
Melissa – I know you’re going to rock the baking. It just takes time to get around to it. Kudos to you.
Sara – it wasn’t too bad!
Happy Cook – thank you.
Laura – not lazy at all. You’d be crazy not to love a bundt cake, in my opinion :)
Memoria – nope, have not. I’m not a fan of Hershey’s in general, but perhaps with a substitution of chocolate?
Tracy – absolutely agree with you on that!
Dawn – I always add a little more than they say (okay, a lot more). ;)
Jennifer – oh yes yes, you should use and love your bundt pan immediately!
Y – wow, what a concept! I had never thought of it that way :) I’m always teetering on the fence at restaurants… it depends on my mood. Feeling bold, I will try new. Feeling tired, I will go with the old.
Karen B – you totally cracked me up on that one, babe. I’m sure the kids would be THRILLED to have chocolate cake for dinner. You’d earn Mom-of-the-Year award (voted by kids, not parents of course).
Tartelette – thanks for pointing that out! I was missing a quote. Your keyboard… it always makes me laugh. Andrew is a fun guy, very sweet. You and the tweeting!! :) I love tweeting/emailing/whatever with you anytime.
Pearl – um, it was a pastry skills course at the Culinary School of the Rockies in Boulder, Colorado. Ten weeks, 5.5 hours each week. Awesome class! Chef Shan is the best. I’ll be sure to let Andrew know of his expanding fan base :)
Lori – wow! I’m so glad others are so much more enthused about chocolate than I am :)
Mrs. E – it was fun indeed! Andrew blogs, but he’s not a food blogger. He just likes taking pictures of food :)
Cindy – that’s a winning combo, no?
Asianmommy – thanks!
Peabody – That’s my Peabody!
Tana – ah yes, that too is on my list of chocolate cakes to try. Thanks for the reminder!
Mollie – I’m sorry sweetie. I’ll try to get around to fixing that… right clicks, not your spelling ;) *snort*
Nicisme – thanks!
Sylvia – oh, you’re flattering me! Very glad you are enjoying your visit. Thanks :)
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:54 am
YUMMMM on the bundt cake…love it!
May 5th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
dishinanddishes – thank you.
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Neccessity is the mother of invention. I thought I had all the ingredients for this cake, but when I looked in the chocolate stash I found out someone’s been eating my chocolate. I was 1 cup short of a full deal. There was only one cup of semisweet dark. I did however have a couple of Chocolove bars. One was cherry chilli and the other was orange peel. I proceeded to chunk the choco stash until I had 1/2 cup of cherry chili, 1/2 cup of orange, and 1/2 cup of Ghiradelli semisweet chips. The result was great. It was like a scavenger hunt for your taste buds. You could see the chunks of chocolate in the cake but didn’t know until it was raked across the taste buds what delight you had chomped upon. So if you are making this cake and somehow come up short on the 1 1/2 cups of chunked chocolate, improvise, and enjoy.
November 17th, 2013 at 12:25 am
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