HINT OF CHOCOLATE ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

HINT OF CHOCOLATE ORANGE BUNDT CAKE seriously adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Science, America’s Test Kitchen’s Orange Bundt Cake

CAKE
4 LARGE eggs
2 tablespoons FINELY grated orange zest
3/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
18 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into 18 pieces and softened)

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Adjust rack to middle position.
• Grease and flour a large bundt pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla together.
• Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda on LOW speed until combined.
• Add butter one piece at a time until mixture resembles coarse pea sized pieces.
• Add egg mixture slowly, scraping bowl regularly for about 2 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
• Bake 45-55 minutes until tester comes out clean.
• Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.
• Remove cake from pan and continue cooling on wire rack.

ORANGE GLAZE
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon (about 4 teaspoons)
Pinch of salt

• Whisk 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, orange juice concentrate, lemon juice and salt together in bowl until smooth.
• Place wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.
• Brush cake with 1/4 cup of the orange glaze.
• Let cake stand 1 hour.
• Whisk remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar with the remaining glaze.
• Pour evenly over cake.
• Let cake sit 5-10 minutes while you prepare the ganache.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE DRIZZLE
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

• Add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl and set aside.
• Add the heavy whipping cream to a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat for about 1 minute, watching it closely so it doesn’t burn or boil over
• Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes. I put a plate on top to trap the heat.
• Gently stir the cream and chocolate together until they come together to a smooth consistency. DO NOT whisk too vigorously to prevent air bubbles in the ganache making it smoother.
• Drizzle ganache over cake in an alternate pattern to the glaze.

ORANGE SUGAR
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons FINELY GRATED orange zest

• Using fork mix together the granulated sugar and orange zest.
• Sprinkle over ganache.