When I first saw this recipe for a chocolate bundt cake on 101 Cookbooks I was half way through my sugar-free March challenge (more about that here). I couldn't wait for March to be over so I could try it. A perfectly timed Sunday dinner on April 1st gave me the excuse I needed (more on that here).
Two things stood out when I looked over the recipe: (1) this recipe doesn't require creaming butter and sugar - great for me since I don't have a stand mixer (hint hint, KitchenAid, birthday, Christmas, hint hint) and (2) this recipe is crying out for the addition of chilli.
The recipe from 101 Cookbooks uses a bundt tin, but I didn't have one so I split the batter into a loaf tin, a muffin tin and four soufflé ceramics. The muffin tin came out first (after 10 minutes), then the soufflé ceramics (5 minutes more) and then the loaf tin (another 5 minutes).
I added about 2t of chilli powder to the cocoa and butter mixture. The end result definitely had a kick, so if you're adding the chilli (highly recommended) then start with 1t and keep tasting.
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| To serve for dessert |
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| From the muffin tin |
Chocolate Bundt Cake
I use less butter here, than most other cakes of this sort. And I'd argue, you can't really tell. That said, scaling back much more beyond this wasn't a good idea. Also, I use buttermilk in the icing because I typically have it on hand, but you can certainly substitute stout/porter or water.
Chocolate Bundt Cake:
2 cups / 475 ml chocolate porter or stout beer
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup / 75g natural cocoa powder (non-dutched)
1 cup / 5 oz / 140 g whole wheat flour
1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g all-purpose flour
1 cup / 4.25 oz / 120 g muscovado or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups / 355 ml plain whole yogurt
3/4 cup / 180 ml pure maple syrup
Chocolate Buttermilk Icing:
3/4 cup / 2.75 oz / 75 g powdered sugar
1/4 cup / 25g natural cocoa powder (non-dutched)
2 tablespoons buttermilk
flaky sea salt, to serve
Preheat oven to 350F / 180C, with a rack in the center.
Butter and flour (generously) a 11 or 12-cup capacity bundt pan (or equivalent). As I mention up above, you can bake this in other cake pans, just be mindful to avoid filling the pan(s) more than 2/3 - 3/4 full. Adjust the baking time as well - baking until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, and the center tests clean when you insert a knife.
In a saucepan simmer the beer down to 1 cup / 240 ml. Remove from heat, add the butter and stir until melted. Stir in the cocoa powder, mixing until smooth, then set aside to cool, stirring occasionally to let off heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, and maple syrup. Whisk well, until nicely blended and uniform in appearance. Gradually add the (cooled) stout mixture, stirring all the while. Stir until well blended. Add the flour mixture, folding until just blended, using as few strokes as possible.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 35 - 45 minutes if using the bundt pan, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. You really don't want to over bake this cake - err on the slightly moist side if anything. Remove from the oven, and turn out onto a cooling rack after seven minutes.
In the meantime, make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, cocoa, and buttermilk. Really go at it for at least a minute. The icing should end up smooth and creamy looking, adjust with a touch of powdered sugar or a few extra drops of buttermilk if you want to tweak the consistency at all. When the cake is completely cool, run the icing around the top with an offset spatula and let it set.
Serve sprinkled with a bit of flaky sea salt. But don't sprinkle with flakes of salt until ready to serve, or you'll end up with little divots.
Makes one chocolate bundt cake.
Prep time: 25 min - Cook time: 45 min
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