Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake

I love to bake.  I love making cakes, breads, cupcakes, muffins... but nothing feels as good as when I make remission cake for my uncle Scott :)  It's become a bit of a tradition that every time his cancer goes into remission, I make him a cake.  I've joked that I think he does the whole routine on purpose just to get another cake!  Last time, I made caramel peanut-topped brownie cake which was delicious but took a while since I had to make the caramel (twice.).  This time I decided to choose something a little easier but equally as beautiful and tasty: hot chocolate bundt cake.

I had pinned this recipe a while ago, mostly because I love using my nonstick bundt pan from Mark but also because my family has a strange obsession with stockpiling hot cocoa mix and then never drinking it (we also do this with strawberries).  There are literally boxes, canisters, jars, packets - all full of cocoa mix.  I for one hate hot chocolate and never drink it.  My mom and sisters will have some, but rarely.  So a recipe that calls for more than half a cup of the stuff?  Perfect!

The cake was really easy to throw together, and I could just tell from the ingredients that it was going to be good.  After all, it had cocoa mix, cocoa powder, and melted milk chocolate.  That's three different kinds of chocolate for you chocolate lovers out there!  Plus the cake has cream cheese in it, which keeps it moist and soft.

Once it is out of the oven, you make a glaze with some more melted chocolate and hot chocolate mix, and drizzle it on top.  The garnish is mini marshmallows - and yes I studiously picked them out of our Swiss Miss canister in order to have just the right size marshmallows on top :)

As you probably guessed, I did not try this cake, but when we brought it over to the Andersons', Susie, Scott, Maggie, Mom and Mark all had a piece and told me it was great.  Mom said those are the kinds of cakes she wants (she may or may not have made a rude comment about my strawberry pie!).  So, note to self: Mom likes chocolate cakes :)  Anyway, this is an easy, delicious, beautiful chocolate cake that you should probably try out the next time you have to bring a sweet somewhere.  Isn't it pretty?

Recipe:

hot chocolate bundt cake

from Cookies and Cups

Ingredients:

For cake:
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup dry hot chocolate mix
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese
2 cups sugar
3 oz. milk chocolate, melted
5 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla

For glaze:
6 oz. milk chocolate
2 Tablespoons dry hot chocolate mix
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 325°.  Spray 10" bundt pan liberally with baking spray.

2) Sift together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and hot chocolate mix. Set aside.

3) In large mixing bowl (or stand mixer) cream together you butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar and beat on medium about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

4) In microwave safe bowl, melt milk chocolate on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring after each. Add to butter mixture and mix until incorporated.  

5) Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between each and then add vanilla.  Turn mixer to low and slowly add in your sifted dry ingredients.  Mix ingredients until incorporated. Don't over mix.

6) Fill your pan with batter and bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in pan and then transfer to wire rack.

7) Make glaze: In small saucepan over low heat melt milk chocolate, 2 Tbsp dry hot chocolate mix, heavy cream and butter together until melted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Pour over cooled cake. Garnish with mini marshmallows or Marshmallow Bits.

Congratulations, Scott!