We kick off this new year of Bundts with the Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake. A luscious combination of rich cocoa and warm ancho chile, this Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake brings the heat in an elegant chocolate package. Baked in the timeless and beautiful Nordic Ware Crown Bundt Pan, each slice reveals an intricate two-toned swirl, courtesy of alternately scooped batters that feature unsweetened and Dutch process cocoa powder. A silky chocolate glaze enrobes the baked cake, offering a touch of glossy shine and a boost in creamy chocolate flavor.
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- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups (344 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1¾ teaspoons (5.25 grams) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground ancho chile pepper
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
- 1½ cups (360 grams) whole milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (25 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, ancho chile pepper, and baking soda. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. (Mixture may look curdled at certain points, but batter will come together.) Transfer half of batter (about 750 grams) to a medium bowl; gradually fold in Dutch process cocoa and cinnamon until smooth. Gradually fold unsweetened cocoa into remaining batter until smooth.
- Spray a 10-cup Nordic Ware Crown Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Using 2 (2½-tablespoon) spring-loaded scoops, alternately scoop batters into prepared pan. Tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter a few times to settle batter and release any air bubbles.
- Place a heatproof cooling rack on center oven rack; place pan evenly on prepared rack.
- Bake for 50 minutes. Carefully rotate pan; bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 205°F (96°C), 15 to 20 minutes more. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert pan onto a wire rack. Gently tap wire rack on counter a few times to help loosen cake; remove pan, and let cake cool completely.
- Using a serrated knife, level cake, if desired. Place, cut side down, on a serving plate. Spoon and spread Chocolate Glaze over cooled cake as desired.
- ⅔ cup (160 grams) heavy whipping cream
- ⅔ cup (113 grams) finely chopped 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate (about 4 ounces)
- In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around edges of pan. (Do not boil.)
- In the work bowl of a food processor, place chocolate. Process until finely chopped. With processor running, add hot cream in a slow, steady stream until chocolate is melted. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
CONVERT THIS CAKE INTO BUNDTLETTES
Want to make this cake into Bundtlettes? Follow the steps below to convert this whole Bundt into miniature Bundtlettes!
- Make half of the original 10-cup recipe, measuring ingredients by weight if possible; prepare as directed, using 2 (1.5-teaspoon scoops) to alternately scoop different batters.
- Bake Bundtlettes until a wooden pick inserted near the center of a cake comes out clean, 15 to 25 minutes. (Note: An oven-safe wire rack isn’t necessary during baking to help keep Bundlette pans level.) Cool, remove, and serve Bundtlettes as recipe directs.
- Note that this half recipe will work for 4- to 5-cup capacity Bundtlette pans. For pans with smaller capacities, only fill wells ⅔ to ¾ full.
- For Chocolate Glaze, make half of original recipe, measuring ingredients by weight if possible. Finely chop chocolate and place in a small, heatproof bowl. Heat cream as directed; pour hot cream over chocolate, pressing down any pieces to submerge. Let stand for 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth and cool as instructed.
BUNDTOLOGY
Our Bundtologists share their expert tips to help you master our January Bundt! Click the image to enlarge. For a printer-friendly version, head here. Note that each of these tips is specific to this recipe and the Crown Bundt Pan. Results may vary for other recipes and other pans.
Wonderful recipe, I’d like to try it. Thanks for sharing . Just one question, may I bake this recipe in the 10 cups Swirl Pan or have I to modify it? Thanks a lot for your kind help
Hi Simona,
Thanks for reaching out! The recipe would be excellent in any 10-cup pan of your choice. Happy baking!