Chocolate Almond Bundt Cake

Bundt cakes became popular in this country in the 1950s, and it’s reported that one in three American homes where folks bake has at least one of the donut-shaped pans. There are a number of reasons for this lasting, wide-spread popularity, one being the dense cake’s variety.

However, Bundt refers to the pan, not the cake. Its name comes from the European dessert Bundkuchens – party or “gathering” cakes, and almost every family has a favorite recipe. Magazine editors loved the cakes because they photographed well, and home bakers loved the ability to make pretty cakes with ease.

According to Nordic Ware, which created the pan in 1949, in the early 1970s the company was manufacturing 30,000 Bundt pans daily to keep up with demand. Although the original pan was an eight-lobed fluted mold, today the company offers a plethora of pan designs for the old family favorite. One of our family favorites is this chocolate almond version.

Ingredients

1 cup cocoa

6 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate

¾ cup boiling water

1 ¾ cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

10 Tbsp. butter (1 ¼ stick) softened

2 cups brown sugar

1 Tbsp. almond extract

5 eggs

1 ½ cups sour cream

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup roasted almonds, chopped (I put them in a plastic zip bag and smash them with a cooking mallet)

Glaze

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. milk

½ cup powdered sugar

Roasted chopped almonds for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350﮿ F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray.

2. In a heatproof bowl, mix cocoa and chopped chocolate. Pour boiling water over chocolate and stir to melt. Let stand to cool, about 3 minutes.

3. While the chocolate is cooling, combine flour, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl.

4. In another bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs to the butter mixture.

5. Fold the sour cream into the cooled chocolate mixture.

6. Add the flour mixture and the sour cream chocolate mixture to the butter mixture, and blend.

7. Stir in the chocolate chips and almonds.

8. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

9. Allow the cake to cool completely and top with glaze. Garnish with chopped almonds.

The Glaze

In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips, butter and milk. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Spoon over cooled cake.