Servings: 16
Ingredients:
For Cake:
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks/14 oz/396g) butter or margarine, softened
6 eggs
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch-process cocoa)
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans* (see notes below)
For Glaze:
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch-process cocoa)
4-6 teaspoons milk
Instructions:
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan or a 10-inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl and with an electric hand or stand mixer, combine sugar and butter; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, gradually add the 2 cups confectioners' sugar; blend well on medium to medium-high speed.
3. Remove bowl from mixer. With a wooden spoon stir in flour, cocoa and nuts until well blended. Spoon batter into prepared cake pan; spreading batter evenly with rubber spatula.
4. Bake in preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from edge of pan** (see note below). Cool upright in pan on wire rack for 1 1/2 hours; invert onto serving plate. Cool for at least 2 hours before glazing and serving.
Tip:
Timing is everything when baking this cake. Because of its fudgy, molten center, you can’t test this cake with a toothpick or cake tester — it should be gooey, so this is no help.
At about 40 minutes into baking time, begin testing the cake, pressing your finger against the surface of it to see if it springs back. Don’t bake it even a few minutes too long. You want it to be very moist at the center, even when the cake has cooled.
5. To Make Glaze:
In a small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides.
6. Store cake tightly covered in plastic wrap (before glazing) OR store the glazed cake in an airtight container such as a tupperware cake carrier or on a plate covered with a cake dome at room temperature, no need to refrigerate.
Cake freezes well. If freezing cake, thaw loosely covered at room temperature. Unglazed cake may be frozen for 4 to 6 months. Glazed cake may be frozen for 1 to 3 months.
Makes 16 servings
Notes:
1. If baking cake in a dark colored pan, bake at 325 degrees F (160 C) instead of 350 degrees F (180 C). Dark pans tend to bake foods faster, so it is important to reduce the baking temperature when using dark colored pans to prevent overbaking.
2. Nuts are essential for the success of this recipe, do not leave them out.
3. Since this cake has a soft filling, an ordinary doneness test cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking times are essential.
Photograph taken by Diana Baker Woodall© 2004
Source: Recipe adapted from Pillsbury.com
Date: October 5, 2004