Marble Bundt Cake

Marble Bundt Cake - made July 17, 2012 from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Continuing with the sour cream usage, I went with this bundt cake from the Baked guys.  I had made their Root Beer Bundt Cake from the same cookbook and thought it was fantastic so I was hopeful this cake would be good too.  And it was.  Perfect pound cake texture, the plain batter was buttery and the chocolate batter was nicely chocolatey.  I made this for my friend Jeannie who is halfway through her chemo treatment for breast cancer and also my partner in crime when it comes to chocolate desserts.  They should dedicate the Factory Mud Pie at Cheesecake Factory to me and Jeannie for our faithful consumption of it whenever we dine there.  

Anyway, in Jeannie's honor, I also added a chocolate glaze to the cake just to give it a little extra chocolate yumminess  Because you can never have too much chocolate, especially when you're kicking cancer in the ass and not letting it bring you down, which is what Jeannie and so many other courageous people are doing.  Rock on, girlie.

Chocolate Swirl

6 ounces dark chocolate (60% - 72% cacao), chopped

1 teaspoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder

Sour Cream Cake

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 ¼ cups sugar

4 large eggs

16 ounces sour cream

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze (optional)

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1/4 cup whole milk, more if needed

1.     Make the chocolate swirl: In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate.  When the chocolate is completely smooth, add the cocoa powder and whisk until thoroughly incorporated.  Remove  the bowl from the heat and set aside.

2.     Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

3.     Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.

4.     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth and ribbonlike.  Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar.  Beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down the bowl and mix for 30 seconds.

5.     Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat just until incorporated.  Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl before each addition and beating only until each addition is just incorporated.  Do not overmix.

6.     Pour one third of the cake batter into the chocolate swirl mixture.  Use a spatula to combine the chocolate mixture and the batter to make a smooth chocolate batter.

7.     Spread half of the remaining plain cake batter in the prepared pan.  Use an ice cream scoop to dollop the chocolate cake batter directly on top of the plain cake batter.  The dollops will touch and mostly cover the plain batter but some plain batter will peek through.  Use a butter knife to swirl the chocolate and plain batter together.  Pour the remaining plain batter on top of the chocolate layer and smooth it out.  Once again, use the knife to pull through the layers to create a swirl.

8.     Bake in the oven for 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, or until a sharp knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

9.     Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.  Use a knife to loosen the edges of the cake and invert it onto the wire rack and let cool.  Serve warm or at room temperature. If making glaze, whisk cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar together. Gradually add milk and whisk smooth. Adjust amount of milk depending on consistency of glaze desired. Spread over cooled cake before serving.

The cake will keep for 3 days, tightly covered, at room temperature.

Linked to Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday