All is good now, but there have been a few life distractions going on around here lately. Yet, even during times of stress I manage to find at least one silver lining. The first on was having friends either spend time with me or check in on me during and after my husband's recent surgery was one of them. Their expressions of love, care, and concern not only made me feel less alone, but helped me keep some of my anxiety in check. The second silver lining came in the forms of a waiting snack bucket and piece of a homemade triple chocolate bundt cake. Knowing I would have a very long day of waiting at the hospital, my friend Carol filled a bucket with some of my favorite snacks while my friend Karen had brought me lunch. For most of the day I lived on some of the Lorna Doones that were in the bucket. However, it wasn't until almost ten hours in the hospital waiting room that I started to get really hungry. I managed to eat a half of the turkey sandwich, but after having a bite of the cake, I inhaled the entire piece. It was one of the best chocolate bundt cakes I had ever tasted. Moist, densely crumbed, decadently rich, studded with chocolate chips, and oh so chocolatey, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the recipe. So after everything had settled down and with the recipe in hand, baking never felt so therapeutic.
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If chocolate is your love language, you are definitely going to want to make this Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake. Either with or without the Chocolate Ganache Icing. Instead of going to one of those stores famous for their bundt cakes (you know the one), bake and serve this one. Because in all honesty, I think this Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake w/ Chocolate Ganache Icing is a million times better than the chocolate chocolate chip bundt cake store bought one.
The cake is absolutely divine when simply dusted with some confectionary sugar. But when drizzled or slathered in chocolate ganache icing, it will put chocolate lovers into a euphoric state.
No one will never suspect this Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake w/ Chocolate Ganache Icing is actually a semi-homemade one. And don't tell them! I would have never in a million years guessed that two of the cake's ingredients included a small box of instant chocolate pudding and a box of Devil's Food Cake Mix (one without pudding in the mix)! The Devil's Food Cake Mix is one of the ingredients responsible for the cake's deeper, more chocolatey flavor. So in other words, you only want to use a Devil's Food Cake Mix.
In full disclosure, I made three very minor tweaks to my friend Karen's recipe. Instead of using water in the batter, I used coffee. A trick I learned from Ina Garten decades ago. Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without imparting a coffee flavor. If you don't make or like coffee, just use water as this is a pretty chocolatey cake. In keeping with the spirit of ramping up the flavor, I also added in a generous pinch of Kosher salt. To ensure the chocolate chips didn't sink to the bottom of the cake while it baked, I tossed them in a scant tablespoon of flour. Another trick I learned years ago.
I used this Nordicware Heritage Bundt Pan, but any 10 cup capacity bundt pan will work. Always grease and flour your bundt pans. Even the non-stick ones. Preferably use a vegetable oil (like Crisco) or a non-stick vegetable spray rather than using butter. The milk solids in butter may cause the cake to bind to the bundt pan as it acts more like a glue. And there is nothing worse than not having your bundt cake unmold intact.
In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, the bundt cake bakes for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a platter or cake stand.
Made with only chopped semi-sweet chocolate, heavy cream and flaky sea salt, this chocolate ganache is rich, creamy, and sweet. The trifecta of icing perfection. The thickness of the ganache will depend on how much heavy cream you use. I used 1/2 cup and had to work quickly to get it spread on the bundt cake. Next time I might use 2/3 of a cup so it will have a slightly more pourable consistency. But how much cream you use will be a matter of personal preference. Or don't make the icing all and generously dust the completely cooled bundt cake with confectionary sugar. And yes, if the cake is made with the ganache icing, it's technically a Quadruple Chocolate Bundt Cake!
If you cover or drizzle the cake with the ganache icing, allow time for it to set up before serving. To speed up the setting up process, you can chill the cake in the refrigerator.
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If you happen to be someone who doesn't love rich, decadent, intensely flavorful, sinfully delicious chocolate cakes, you may need to take a pass on this cake. However, if you are a true chocolate aficionado looking for a way to show your family or friends some love or have a serious chocolate cake craving, bake this almost effortless to make, heavenly Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake w/ Chocolate Ganache Icing. Because this is the cake chocolate lovers will swoon over, will not let a crumb on their plate go to waste, and will dream about it about for days
Wrap up some slices of this cake and give them to a friend who needs some comfort. Bring it to a picnic or potluck gathering and watch it disappear. If there was ever a cake to make birthdays feel even more special, this would be the one. In other words, you need this Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake w/ Chocolate Ganache Icing in your life! You never know what silver linings could come from it.
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Recipe
Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake w/ Chocolate Ganache Icing
Serves 10-14
Ingredients
Bundt Cake
1 box (15.25 oz) Devil's Food Cake Mix (not one with pudding in the mix)
1 small box (3.9 oz) Instant Chocolate Pudding
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup room temperature coffee (or 1/2 cup water)
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240g) sour cream
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 package (11.5 oz/326g) semi sweet or dark chocolate chips (see notes)
Scant tablespoon of flour
Ganache Icing
6 ounces (170g) semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped
1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (see notes)
Pinch of flaky sea salt
Confectionary Sugar, sifted
Optional: Vanilla Ice Cream
Directions
Bundt Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare a 10 cup capacity bundt pan using shortening and/or vegetable spray and flour. Tamp flour out of the pan.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add in the coffee (or water), eggs, sour cream, and vegetable oil. Mix just until all of the ingredients have been combined.
3. Add in the Devil's Food Cake Mix, the Instant Chocolate Pudding, and pinch of Kosher salt. Beat until smooth and creamy. Note: This is a very thick batter.
4. In a medium sized bowl mix the chocolate chips with the flour until the chips are coated in the flour. Add to the cake batter. Mix with a spatula.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Smooth the top of the batter. Place the bundt pan on a baking sheet. Insert into the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
6. Remove the cake from the oven. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Place a cake plate on top of the pan and invert the cake. Tap on the sides of the bundt pan before lifting it off the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Ganache Icing
1. In a small sized bowl, add in the chopped chocolate and flaky sea salt.
2. Heat the heavy cream in a small pan over medium heat. When small bubbles begin to form along the edges of the pan, pour over the chocolate. Let sit for a minute.
3. Stir with a spatula (or whisk) until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is completely smooth.
4. Spoon or pour over the cooled bundt cake. Allow the ganache icing to set. Note: I placed the iced cake in the refrigerator to speed up the setting up process.
5. Cut into pieces and serve. For a completely over the top cake eating experience, serve with some vanilla ice cream. Note: I loved eating this cake at both room temperature and chilled. To keep any leftovers fresh, store covered in the refrigerator.
Notes: (1) Instead of finishing the cake with the chocolate ganache icing, finish by generously topping with sifted confectionary sugar. (2) I used Guittard's Extra Dark Chocolate Baking Chips - 63% Cocoa in the batter. (3) I used 4 ounce bars of Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate for the Chocolate Ganache Icing. You will need 1 1/2 bars. (4) For a more pourable ganache icing use 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream. For a thicker icing, use 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream. (5) There is another recipe for a Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake on the blog, but that one is made from scratch. But it gives you another chocolate ganache icing option.
