Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

I was thinking about what would be a good dessert after a light summer meal, and fruits and light & polite-colored sweets kept getting pushed out of my brain by that alpha-confection, CHOCOLATE.  "No," I told myself, "No!" -- it's summer and we must keep things light.  Well, my intuitive baker side said, "Wait, chocolate knows no season!  Chocolate is universal.  Chocolate is always welcome!"  This recipe, from Good Housekeeping, does something no mix can ever do -- it makes a moist, rich, scratch cake that can't be duplicated by any manufactured dessert.  And nothing's easier, really, than baking a cake in a bundt pan. Once it's in the oven, your work is basically done.  If you want to make the simple glaze to top it off,  that's no work, really.  If you want to keep things simpler, just sprinkle this already-moist-enough cake with confectioners sugar, as the original recipe suggests.  So have your grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and a nice green salad. Then slice up this cake as a perfect ending to a summer day.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

2 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon instant espresso-coffee powder
3/4 cup hot water
2 cup(s) sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 ounce (1 square) unsweetened chocolate,, melted
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 2 teaspoons vinegar and 1/2 cup milk, let sit for 5 minutes)

Mocha glaze, (optional)


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12-cup Bundt pan.

On sheet of waxed paper, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In 2-cup measuring cup, mix cocoa, espresso-coffee powder, and hot water until blended; set aside.

In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar, oil, egg whites, and whole egg until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in cocoa mixture, chocolate, and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until combined, scraping bowl occasionally with rubber spatula.

Pour batter into prepared plan. Bake 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. With small knife, loosen cake from side of pan; invert onto wire rack. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare Mocha Glaze. Place cake on cake plate; pour glaze over top of cooled cake, letting it run down sides. Allow glaze to set before serving.

Mocha Glaze: In medium bowl, combine 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso-coffee powder and 2 tablespoons hot water; stir until dissolved. Stir in 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur until blended. Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Makes about 1 cup.
 
Recipe and photo source: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/double-chocolate-bundt-cake-2567

Tasty Lemon Bundt Cake to Welcome Summer

My lovely friend Sue's birthday was yesterday.   I know she adores lemon anything so her birthday cake was a lemon bundt cake.  This fool-proof cake, so light and delicious with its citrus essence, is made from a mix.  Yes, a mix, a fact that can be gotten over when you take a bite! This recipe is found on the side of the Duncan Hines Lemon cake mix, and it is wonderful.  It is topped with my own non-mix icing, a lemon-infused glaze.  Sliced and served with berries and whipped cream, it makes a perfect summer dessert. I didn't think to take a photo, but this one, borrowed from Cooks Illustrated, looks just like the cake I delivered to my friend yesterday morning. (Thank you, CI.)  And, Happy first day of summer!!!

LEMON BUNDT CAKE
from Duncan Hines

1 Duncan Hines Lemon Cake Mix
1 package (4-serving size) instant lemon pudding
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Bundt pan, sprayed well with cooking spray (or buttered and floured)

In large mixer bowl, mix all ingredients together until blended well.  Beat for a couple of minutes until nice and smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in middle rack of oven for 50-60 minutes or until it tests done (either a skewer inserted comes out dry, or the top springs back when lightly pressed).

Let cool for 15 minutes.  Turn out onto cooling rack to cool completely.

Glaze:
1 lemon for rind and juice
2 cups confectioners sugar
water

Use about 1 teaspoon of lemon rind and the juice of half the lemon (about 2 tablespoons).  Beat lemon juice, rind, and confectioners sugar with a wooden spoon until completely smooth.  Add a few drops of water at a time if you need to.  It should be thick but pourable, not thin and runny.  If it gets too thin, add more sugar, a bit at a time until it flows slowly off a spoon.  Drop spoonfuls of glaze all around the top of the cake and allow to flow down the sides.  Sprinkle the top with a little extra lemon rind.

One year ago yesterday: Father's Day

Photo credit: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/images/document%5Carticle%5Cjf06_bundtcake_article.jpg