Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Happy New Year!

The New Year often brings resolutions of eating better and losing weight. Perhaps I should post something low calorie and nutritious…naw, it is time for chocolate cake!

I was invited to a New Year’s eve party and the host requested we bring a story, poem, song  or anecdote about 2011. Knowing the incredibly talented people who would be attending and the fact that I can’t sing and did not have a great story, I figured I ought to make something really tasty to make up for my lack of entertaining offerings.

I saw a decadent looking Chocolate cake on my friend, Michelle’s Pinterest page. It reminded me a bit of a chocolate amaretto cake Michelle used to make that I loved, so I looked up the recipe. Oh my, so much chocolaty goodness! Definitely not a cake to make just for a small dinner gathering- this mega cake needs a party to help consume it… or a small village. The recipe looked big enough that I could make two smaller cakes and take one to New Year ’s Eve party and have the other on hand for various events on New Year’s Day.

I found the recipe on a wonderful blog called Lick the bowl  good. Beware if you are avoiding sweets for your resolution- there are so many delicious cakes and other goodies on this blog. I am going to have to try many of them!!  The recipe for Chocolate sour cream Bundt cake was posted a year and a half ago and the blogger, Monica, found it on the back of a box for the Nordic Bundt pan from William Sonoma.

 I basically followed the recipe as posted, just using a bit more of darker chocolate for the cake and slightly adapting some steps. As I said, I used two smaller Bundt pans so the pieces would be smaller and they looked great. If you don’t have Bundt pans, you could put it in loaf pans- maybe 3 or 4? Make it a bit ahead of time if you can, it tastes even better the next day. Be sure to slice it thin!  It turned out great! I know it has seriously big time calories but one very thin slice satisfied my chocolate craving for the week… well maybe the day but it could have been a week!

Anyway, try this cake out. Thank you Monica at http://www.lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com/

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Slightly adapted from Williams-Sonoma Nordic Bundt Pan box

For the cake:

·      1 cup cocoa powder, plus more for dusting pan

·      8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, I used 2 oz of bittersweet extra dark

·      1 cup boiling water

·      2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

·      1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

·      1 tsp. salt

·      2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter

·      2 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

·      5 eggs, lightly beaten

·      4 tsp. vanilla extract

·      1 1/2 cups sour cream

·      1 1/2 cups semisweet mini or regular chocolate chips

For the ganache:

·      6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

·      2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

·      1/2 cup heavy cream

Mini chips for garnish

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two  Bundt Cake Pans or one bundt two loaf pans or three loaf pans and dust with cocoa powder; tap out the excess.

In a mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup cocoa powder and the chocolate. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth and blended. Set aside.

In a large bowl,  sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.  

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about a minute.  Reduce the speed to low, add the brown sugar and beat until blended. Increase the speed to medium and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating a moment just until incorporated before adding more Add in the vanilla and sour cream and mix well.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the melted chocolate. Beat just until blended and no lumps of flour remain, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans, for bundt pans spread the batter so the sides are about 1 inch higher than the center.

 Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached to it, 60 to 65 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cake cool completely, at least 1 hour.

For ganache: In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a simmer. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing the ganache, to drip down the sides. Sprinkle mini chips on the top of the cake and let the cake stand until the ganache is set, at least 30 minutes. May be refrigerated.

Remember not to cut the pieces too thick- it is very rich!

Everyone listening to entertaning stories while the cake waits its turn :-)

Happy New year!