Death By Chocolate Bundt Cake

Today is my husband's birthday, so I asked him if he had any requests for a birthday cake. Now, my husband is a huge chocolate lover. His mentality: Is there any other flavor? So naturally, he requested a cake that has become one of our family's favorites - chocolate zucchini cake.

This cake is truly the most decadent, moist cake I've ever made (the ganache is seriously to-die-for), and I know how much he enjoys it, so initially, I agreed to make the cake - but then the wheels in my head started turning . . .

A while back, we attended a church dinner where bundt cakes of all flavors served as the center piece to each table, and we were lucky enough to sample one chocolate bundt cake that was insane. From the first bite, I just had to know who made this cake. I asked around and found the culinary genius, and asked her if she'd be willing to share the recipe. She said she would get it to me, but since I was in nursery at the time (I've since been released and received an exciting, new calling. More info to come on that at a later date), and am never in Relief Society, I haven't seen much of her, and still have yet to get the recipe. This, my friends, is why I love Pinterest. :)

With that deliciously decadent slice of heaven in mind, I recently searched on Pinterest for a recipe, and to my satisfaction, there were plenty. Hehe. I was initially searching for one I could make from scratch, but most of them required espresso, or coffee liqueur, so I pinned one that starts with a devil's food cake mix and adds a few simple ingredients to bring about this chocolatey goodness, in all it's glory.

I tweaked the recipe that I found a bit to fit my preferences, so where the recipe asks for water, and oil, I used milk and melted butter. I also replaced the sour cream with greek yogurt, as it has the same consistency and works just as well in creating moisture in baked treats, yet it has several health benefits as well, and is lower in calories. If you want to reduce the calories of the cake even further, you can also use 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce instead of butter, and I do this often enough - but for today, we are keeping things simple . . . and personally, I just think that butter makes for a better cake. I know, I am an enabler. No shame here. ;)

Anyway, the cake turned out beautifully. My mom was over last night to watch the kids so my husband and I could enjoy a night out to celebrate our birthdays (mine was on Halloween), so we enjoyed the cake as a family before going out . . . and can I just say that I have a NEW favorite cake! It was so chocolaty and moist. I felt like I died and went to chocolate heaven with every sinfully delicious bite.

Also, because I love the ganache from the chocolate zucchini cake recipe, I decided to use that as a topping on our bundt cake (the recipe that I found on Pinterest suggests chocolate syrup . . .bleh!). It was literally "the icing on the cake" . . . so stinkin' yummy!

"Get in my belly." lol.

Yum sauce. :)

No licking the computer screen, please. Hehe. If you have a special occasion to celebrate for that special chocolate lover in your life, though - or heck, if you are just in the mood for a nice slice of chocolaty goodness, give this recipe a try. I promise, you will not be disappointed.

So, without further ado . . .


Death by Chocolate Bundt Cake:

Ingredients:

-1 package devil's food cake mix

-1 small package instant chocolate pudding

-1/2 cup milk

-1/2 cup melted butter

-4 eggs

-1 cup plain Greek yogurt

-1 11.5 oz. package chocolate chips (approximately 2 cups)

-chocolate ganache and powdered sugar to garnish.

Directions:

Combine your first 6 ingredients and whisk until there are no dry clumps! (I just threw them into the bowl of my stand mixer for about 2 1/2 minutes). Stir in your chocolate chips and pour batter into a greased/floured bundt cake pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.* When cake is done, a toothpick or fork will come out mostly clean. Leave in pan until completely cooled. After plating cake, drizzle with chocolate ganache and a dash of powdered sugar to garnish!

*Note: I learned a few years ago from my sister-in-law at Silver Spoon Catering that the trick to a super moist cake is to not over bake it. I usually set my timer for a few minutes before the time given in any recipe, then check my cake with a toothpick. This particular bundt cake was baked to perfection in about 38 minutes. ;)

Chocolate Ganache:

6 oz heavy cream

9 oz chopped chocolate (semi-sweet or milk)

Directions: To prepare the ganache topping, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Wait 3-5 minutes then stir to combine. It may take a few minutes of stirring for the ganache to come together… but it will. It will thicken as it cools. When warm (but not hot) pour over cake and allow to drizzle down sides. Allow frosting to set for about 30 minutes before serving.

Happy Birthday to the love of my life. Now, let's eat cake! :-P

Credits:

Chocolate bundt cake recipe adapted from Pretty Providence.

Chocolate ganache recipe found at Parsley, Sage and Sweet.