Chocolate Bundt Cake (Triple Chocolate)

chocolatebundtcake8 Dark, rich and covered in chocolate ganache, this triple chocolate pound cake is a true chocolate lover's dream.

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake:
¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (63 g)
½ cup water, boiling hot (113.5 g)
¾ cup buttermilk (170 g)
2 tsp. instant espresso powder
1½ cups butter, room temperature (339 g)
3 cups Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Granular) (594 g)
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached (240 g)
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 oz dark chocolate, chopped or 1 cup chocolate chips (170 g)

Chocolate Ganache:
8 oz dark chocolate, chopped or 1⅓ cup chocolate chips (227 g)
¾ cup heavy cream (170 g)
¼ cup light corn syrup (78 g)

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with melted butter or baking spray.

Bloom the Cocoa Powder:
Whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water, creating a thick paste. Gently heat the buttermilk to just slightly warm, between 80-90 F. Microwave the buttermilk for 30 seconds at 30% power, stir gently and repeat until warm. Gently stir the warmed buttermilk into the cocoa powder paste, stirring until the cocoa powder dissolves. Stir in the espresso powder. Set aside.

Make the Chocolate Bundt Cake:
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter for 2-3 minutes, until smooth. Add in the granulated sugar and beat an additional 2-3 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated.

Mix in 1 cup of the flour, along with the baking powder and salt; beat at low speed until just incorporated. Pour in the chocolate buttermilk mixture and vanilla extract, stir to combine and add the remaining 1 cup of flour. Fold in the chopped chocolate.

Pour the thick batter into the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the top is cracked and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out with a moist crumb but no wet batter. Cool on a wire rack, still in the pan, for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.

Make the Chocolate Ganache:
Combine heavy cream, corn syrup, and remaining chopped chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set aside off of the heat until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Pour glaze over the cake.

Makes 16 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Using room temperature butter and eggs is essential to obtain the dense texture and fine crumb associated with pound cakes.
The espresso powder is optional, but adding it results in a richer chocolate flavor.
If the ganache looks curdled or grainy, the emulsion has broken. To fix the broken ganache, warm it in a double boiler while whisking fast and continuously until the emulsion comes back together and is smooth.
The pound cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days (and tastes even better after sitting overnight).
Leftover cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze a full cake, wrap the plain cake (no ganache) in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw completely, then add ganache before serving.
To freeze individual slices, freeze on a sheet pan for a few hours, then wrap in a layer of plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. Unwrap before thawing.