Friday, March 20, 2015

Triple Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake


I was put in charge of making my dad's birthday cake. While cookies are usually my comfort zone, I accepted the challenge. Why not? My dad isn't picky so that meant I could make whatever I wanted. Sometimes that can be intimidating but in this case, it was pure fun. I dug around in some cookbooks, looked at some fellow bloggers' recipe indexes, did some googling, and just tried to think of something that would have the following criteria:
  • Easy
  • Not over the top
  • Decadent
  • Pretty
  • Transportable
Kind of a lot to ask of a cake, no? Well, there were reasons, OK? I knew I'd be making it on the day of his party or the night before so I wanted something easy and not so over the top so it wouldn't take hours to complete. He's also a pretty simple guy - no frills here.

At the same time, it had to be decadent and delicious AND pretty because, hello, it's someone's BIRTHDAY! Lastly, it needed to be transportable. I'd be bringing it along with me to my parents' house that is roughly 45 minutes away. So anything two-tiered or anything delicate was out.


I thought of just one thing that fit all of these requirements - some type of Bundt cake. Bundt cakes rock my socks. Whenever my mother needed to bring a cake somewhere, it arrived in the round shape of a Bundt. I'm not sure why - I guess they are more structurally sound? They do tend to be denser cakes and I suppose they have a lower center of gravity due to their short stature. 

Now for the decadent, pretty, and easy items on my list.

Well, who doesn't like chocolate? And who says no to MORE chocolate? Stay with me - and why NOT add some raspberry? 

Decadent? CHECK.


Topped with a super simple chocolate raspberry glaze, the cake was easily not over the top while still remaining pretty. Voila! Who would have thought I'd check off all my needs so quickly? I love it when things fall into place like that!

This cake starts with a boxed devil's food cake mix - which I am all for when trying to keep things easy. There is nothing wrong with using cake mixes. In fact, one of my favorite food bloggers, The Domestic Rebel, rocks a cake mix like no one else. A lot of her recipes start with a mix and explodes with innovation from there. You should go check her out if you haven't already. 

Then yummy things happen - like chocolate chips and pudding and raspberries and a fudge-y glaze and...well, need I say more?

After it was all said and done, it kind of resembled an extra large chocolate frosted donut - with a major raspberry kick. Nothing wrong with that!


So Happy Birthday to my dad! I have been ESPECIALLY excited about this birthday because I surprised him with Billy Joel tickets at Fenway Park. The show takes place on his summer vacation and it is also a few days after my birthday so it will be like we're celebrating both our birthdays together! I am very excited to see Billy Joel live - he is one of my favorites that I inherited from my father!



Triple Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake

Recipe by Adapted from McMormick

Ingredients
  • 1 package devil's food cake mix
  • 1 package (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon raspberry extract
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • Handful raspberries (for decoration)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon raspberry extract

Cooking Directions
  1. Preheat that oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease and flour that bundt pan (or whatever pan your heart desires!).
  3. Beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, vegetable oil, and raspberry extract in large bowl until thoroughly combined.
  4. Stir in chocolate chips.
  5. Pour batter into your pan.
  6. Bake for 55 minutes or until your tester comes out clean.
  7. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto wire rack to cool completely
Make your glaze:
  1. Mix sugar, milk, and butter in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.
  2. Bring to boil for one minute.
  3. Remove from heat.
  4. Stir in chocolate chips and raspberry extract until chips are melted.
  5. Drizzle over cooled cake to make the porno music start in your head.