Chocolate Bundt Cake

Cake:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (or 3 ounces unsweetened plus 3 ounces semisweet), coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 cup (3 ounces) cocoa powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (8 ounces or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups (1 pound) packed light brown sugar

6 eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup (8 1/2 ounces) sour cream

1 cup (8 fluid ounces) warm coffee

2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips

Ganache:

9 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) heavy cream

Heat oven to 350° F.  Grease and lightly flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

Melt the chocolate gently in a microwave, stirring occasionally, or in a double boiler or a metal bowl suspended over a pot of barely simmering water for 5 to 7 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

Using a stand mixture with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is very light in color - almost beige-y white - and the texture is fluffy, about 2 to 4 minutes.  Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl a few times during the process to ensure that the butter is evenly incorporated.

Crack the eggs into a liquid measuring cup and add the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the eggs, letting them fall in one at a time and incorporating each egg completely before adding the next.  Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl once or twice during the process.

Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture all at once and mix on low speed until slightly combined; chocolate does not need to be fully incorporated at the point.

Whisk the sour cream and coffee together to achieve a smooth, room temperature liquid.  (Adding too much a cold ingredient can cause the chocolate to seize.)  With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 flour mixture to batter, beating until just combined, followed by half the sour cream mixture, another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining sour cream mixture and then the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl from time to time and don’t mix any more than you need to.  Add the chocolate chips and mix in by hand, using a sturdy spatula and being sure to scrape up from the bottom of the bowl.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes or until done, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.  The cake is ready when it begins to pull away from the edges of the pan slightly and springs back when pressed lightly in the center.  Let the cake cool for at least 15 minutes before making the ganache.

To make the ganache:

Put the chocolate in a shallow bowl.  Put the cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until a skin forms, then immediately pour the cream over the chocolate.  Let the chocolate sit for a few minutes, then stir gently.  The ganache should be glossy and have a smooth texture.

Turn the cake out onto a rack.  Place the rack on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, distributing it as evenly as possible all the way around.  Let the glaze set up for 20 minutes before transferring the cake to a plate or cake stand.

Serves 14 to 16.

From The Grand Central Baking Book by Piper Davis and Ellen Jackson, with minor changes