#BundtBakers ~ Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme.  Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

You can find this recipe all over the internet - shared on numerous sites with the exact same ingredient list I've shared below. You will find stories of its history - apparently it originates in the 60's during a Pillsbury Bake Off. It was quite an interesting lesson for me - I learned a lot about bundt pans, Pillsbury, dry frosting mixes, and a recipe that was an integral part of many childhoods during the 70's!

That said - I had never heard of this recipe until I set out to find a good chocolate bundt cake recipe! I feel deprived. I am so glad I did stumble across this one, and had the chance to make it (and ENJOY it)! This cake is some combination between lava cake, brownie, and good dense chocolate cake... I couldn't bring myself to cover it with the chocolate ganache you will find at pretty much all of the other blogs / sites that host this same recipe. It was SO rich without it! It needs a BIG scoop of vanilla ice cream or cup of milk to enjoy alongside as is - I was afraid I might experience a sugar coma if I added thick, rich, chocolatey ganache on top.

I will also note that this cake does NOT want to release nicely from the pan. I've never had a bundt cake stick before (knock on lots of wood). I use Baker's Joy spray, and am very generous and liberal with the spray before adding batter. However, this cake is so heavy and dense, that it settles very heavily into the bottom of the pan while cooling - so I think it's very important to follow the recommendation of the butter / cocoa powder below. I did another web search when I discovered my cake was stuck, and pretty much everyone who did not have issues with sticking used the cocoa powder and butter method.

After letting the cake set in its bundt pan while I was at work (after I was unable to get it out in the morning before I left), I came home and gently ran a spatula and then butter knife around the edge. It still didn't want to come out and I was getting upset. Then we flip it hard and I hear "thunk". I think my eyes got really big and I freaked out for a second, imagining my beautiful chocolate cake in 20 million broken pieces, half on the counter, half in the pan... but no - the whole thing released, in one piece, and was sitting there looking perfectly delicious.

This cake certainly won me over. Don't tell anyone - but I actually had a piece of this for breakfast the other day... it was the best breakfast ever.

Here are February's Chocolate themed Bundt Bakers:

• Apricot Almond Bundt Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache by Cassandra at Cassie's Kitchen
• Blackforest Bundt Cake by Anshie at SpiceRoots
• Bundt Cake de Cerveza Negra by Lara at Tartacadabra
• Chocolate and Almonds Bundt Cake by Kathya at Basic N Delicious
• Chocolate and Lavender Bundt Cake by Aisha at La Cocina de Aisha
• Chocolate Buttermilk Bundt Cake by Beatriz & Mara at I love Bundt Cakes
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bundt Cake by Julie at Eat, Drink, and Be Mighty
• Chocolate Crumb Bundt by Catherine at Living the Gourmet
• Chocolate Custard Floating Island Bundt Cake by Jelena at A Kingdom For a Cake
• Chocolate Honeycomb Bundt by Sue at Just Sew Sue
• Chocolate Irish Cream Bundt by Anne at From My Sweet Heart
• Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake by Tux at Brooklyn Homemaker
• Chocolate Pound Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days
• Chocolate Strawberry Pound Cake by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cider White Chocolate Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Glaze by Patricia at Patty's Cake
• Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Bundt Cake by Linda at Brunch with Joy
• Devil's Food Chocolate Bundt Cake by Tanya at DessertStalking Blog
• Double Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake by Carola at En La Cocina de Caro
• False Chocolate Bundt Cake by Anna at Media RaciÛn Doble, Por Favor
• Guava and Chocolate Bundt by Kelly at Passion Kneaded
• How the Grinch Stole Valentine's Day by Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Kickin Chocolate Bundt Cake by Kaylin at Keep it Simple, Sweetie
• Lemon Glazed White Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake Mini Bundts by Laura at The Spiced Life
• Mars Bar Bundt by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands
• Marshmallows Chocolate Bundt Cake by Shilpi at SimplyVeggies
• Quadruple Chocolate Bundt by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Red Velvet Bundt with White Chocolate Roses by Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
• Sacher Bundt Cake by Esti at Mummy & Cute
• Spicy Chocolate Mini Bundt Cake by Rocio at Kids & Chic
• Triple Chocolate Buttermilk Bundt Cake by Teri at The Freshman Cook
• Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake by Rebekah at Making Miracles
• White Chocolate & Raspberries Bundt Cake by Samantha at Un Mordisco Un Pecado

Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake from Lemon Sugar

To prepare the bundt pan

2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cake Ingredients

½ cup boiling water
2-oz unsweetened baking chocolate chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 cups (8 ounces) confectioners sugar
1 tsp salt
5 large eggs at room temperature
1 TBS vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 ½ sticks (20 TBS) unsalted butter at room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare the bundt pan, combine the 2 TBS of cocoa powder with the melted butter and generously apply the mixture to the inside of the bundt pan, coating every crevice well.
3. Combine the chipped unsweetened chocolate with the 1/2 cup boiling water in a small bowl and stir until melted.
4. Meanwhile, combine the flour, cocoa powder, confectioners sugar and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, blending well between each addition. (Mixture may look a little curdled at this point, but don't worry, it will come together when you add the dry ingredients in). Scrape down sides as necessary.
6. Blend in the chocolate and boiling water mixture.
7. Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on a low speed. Scrape down the sides as needed, and mix only until the dry and wet ingredients are combined. Do not over mix.
8. Use a spatula to spoon the mixture into the prepared bundt pan, and smooth out the top (the batter may be fairly thick, and resemble brownie batter).
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 - 50 minutes. The cake should start to pull away from the sides a little (a toothpick test will be difficult, as you want the cake to be slightly underbaked which is what creates the fudgy tunnel). Use your best judgment. 
10. Allow the cake to cool on a wire pan for 2 hours before inverting onto a serving plate.
11. Top with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, or if you want the full "death by chocolate" experience, visit Lemon Sugar's site for the chocolate glaze recipe.