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One of the compelling things about food blogs is how they bring together people from all over the world. Cooking and eating is something we all have in common, no matter where we are from. Blogs have globalized cooking, erasing borders and boundaries. And I’ve enjoyed learning more about other people’s food and cooking, and meeting them as well.

Things have changed over the past few years, but a little over a decade ago, “link rolls” listed maybe a half-dozen blogs, and people would excitedly add new ones as they learned about them. One that stood out was Cafe Fernando, written by Cenk Sonmëzsoy. He started like most of us – sharing what he was eating and cooking, but eventually became known for his gorgeous photography, too.

I, and other readers of Cafe Fernando, weren’t the only ones who noticed him. Cenk got a publishing deal and spent six years working on his book, which was in Turkish. I was at a dinner party recently with some Turkish people who had non-Turkish spouses, and both sides agreed that Turkish is one of the most difficult languages to learn.

When I saw his book, I didn’t need to know any Turkish (although I can say, “Thank you,” “Goodbye,” and “hazelnut” in Turkish) — the book was so unique and beautiful that I didn’t need to understand any of words. Although I was hoping one day to be able to make the Hazelnut (Findik) & Caramel Cookies, which were speaking my language.

The book was recently released in English. Cenk translated the book himself, rather than rely on a translator, so more of us can not only appreciate the pictures, but the stories and recipes. The release of the book also gave me the opportunity to have a reason to spring for this bundt pan, which I’d been admiring for years. I finally sprung for it.

I don’t really like fussy cakes and shapes, and this one was bold and modern, perfect for a double-chocolate dessert.

When I showed it off online, wondering if the cake would come out after an OCD bout of buttering it, several people suggested using cooking sprays, which I didn’t go with since the manufacturer suggests they’ll ruin the finish over time. (And it voids the warranty.) Others mentioned the “paste” that had gone around the internet, a mixture of 1/2 cup each of flour, oil, and vegetable shortening mixed together and brushed on.

I’ve didn’t use it, not only because there’s no vegetable shortening in France, but it invites the inevitable question even in the U.S.: What can I use in place of the shortening? And I don’t know. Marion Cunningham told me she brought a tin of it to Paris when asked to come and make pies at the Ritz Hotel. According to her, the chef picked up the can, took a look at it, and said, “What is this sh*t?”

Others, even in America, don’t like to use shortening for a variety of reasons. (Although there is all-natural vegetable shortening.) I don’t get all worked up about it, it but I prefer to stick with butter.

The one issue I had with the pan when I unmolded the cake was there were air bubbles in the creases with created some rough edges. I got out my magnifying glass and looked at pictures of cakes made in this pan elsewhere and didn’t see any holes, or rough edges, like mine had.

I think the secret to get the creases not to have little holes, from air pockets (since I did my best to rap the cake on the counter a few times after adding the batter to the mold) is to either pipe the batter into the creases before baking the cake, or brushing up on your Photoshop skills if you’re planning on taking pictures of it and sharing them.

Or, you can let it go. They didn’t bother me, especially when they were deliciously filled in with the thick bittersweet chocolate glaze, which is the fun part of making glazed bundt cakes like this. They’re not fussy, and you don’t need to be an all-star cake decorator to have success with them.

My challenge was figuring out how to click the shutter button on my camera while icing a cake. No wonder it took Cenk six years to finish the book! (I didn’t think you could wait that long.)

In the end, though, it doesn’t matter. The proof is in the pudding, or in the cake.

One tip is to make sure to slightly underbake the cake. There’s heavy cream in the batter to counter some of chocolate’s drying tendencies (chocolate is an acidic ingredient) so remove the cake from the oven when there are still moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick. Most chocolate desserts benefit from being slightly underbaked, and this doubly delicious chocolate cake is no exception.

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Adapted from The Artful Baker by Cenk Sonmezsoy I hewed pretty close to the recipe in the book but omitted the additional sugar in the glaze. If you find it too bittersweet, you can add up to 2 tablespoons of sugar to it. The recipe called for using chocolate with a 70% cacao content but mine was in the range of 60-65% and it worked fine.
Servings 10 servings

For the cake

  • 5 ounces (140g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, , chopped
  • 1/2 cup (50g) Dutch process cocoa powder,, sifted if lumpy
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) strong coffee
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (280g) flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, , preferably aluminum free
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 7 ounces (200g) unsalted butter,, at room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups (350g) sugar
  • 4 large eggs,, at room temperature

For the glaze

  • 5 ounces (140g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, , chopped
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Set the rack in the center of the oven. Generously, and thoroughly, butter a 10-inch (23cm) bundt pan.
  • 2. Put the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium sized bowl. Bring the heavy cream and coffee almost to a boil, remove from heat, and pour over the chocolate and cocoa powder. Let sit for 30 seconds, then stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
  • 3. In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • 4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, stopping the mixer between additions, to scrape down the sides, so the eggs are incorporated.
  • 5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to stir in one-third of the flour mixture. Add half of the melted chocolate, then another third of the flour mixture. Finally add the rest of the melted chocolate then the last of the flour. While you're mixing to reach down to the bottom of the bowl with the spatula, as the dry ingredients tend to sink to the bottom.
  • 6. Scrape the batter into the prepared bundt pan, smooth the top, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, but with moist crumbs still attached, about 50 minutes. Don't overbake.
  • 7. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto the rack and cool completely.
  • 8. Make the glaze by putting the chopped chocolate in a medium-size bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until almost boiling then pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 30 seconds then stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  • 9. Set the cake with the wire rack over a sheet of parchment paper. Use a spoon or ladle to cover the cake with the glaze. My glaze was pretty thick (as you can see from the photos in the post), but if yours is too runny, let it cool down a bit until it's thicker. (Any glaze that slides off can be saved to spoon over ice cream, according to Cenk. I stirred it back into the glaze, because there wasn't any cake crumbs in it.)

Notes

Serving: Serve the cake at room temperature. It's a pretty rich cake although could be served with whipped cream or ice cream,
Storage: The cake will keep for up to three days at room temperature, covered.

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112 comments

    • Natalie

    I LOVE these kind of cakes! So homey, easy to make and simply delicious! Can’t wait to make it for the weekend :)

    • Monica

    Looks divine. Thank you for sharing the recipe. The cake calls for 125 ml strong coffee- would that mean instant cofee or does it have to be filtered/American coffee- (am an amateur baker this may be a silly question).

      • Carla

      I would use espresso.

      • lynne

      Monica, you can purchase instant espresso at international stores. Some times found on the international isle at your local grocer. This is what I use for baking (I add some espresso crystals to my chocolate chip cookies).

      • Cenk

      Hi Monica – To be precise, I use 3 tablespoons (18 grams) of medium-fine ground coffee to 3/4 cup (180 grams) of water, which gives you a bit more than 1/2 cup (120 grams) of very strong brewed coffee. You can substitute an equal amount of espresso.

        • Dorothy Rackley

        If I don’t want to use coffee, is there a substitute? I am always told that coffee adds “depth of flavor” to chocolate, but I don’t like it. Thank you.

          • Cenk

          Coffee does add depth of flavor and I highly recommend it. You can try substituting an equal amount of boiling water, but please keep in mind that I haven’t tried that version and can’t promise a successful result. Taking out an acidic ingredient (such as coffee) and not adjusting the amounts of leaveners accordingly may affect the end result.

          • BelleD

          @Dorothy Rackley, leave out the coffee if you don’t like it, substitute with equal volume of water. It’s not going to affect the leavening in the cake. The baking powder is there for that function. Coffee is there for flavor. You’re not going to taste the coffee flavor all that much since the chocolate is really dominant. But as noted by others, coffee adds an acidic flavor note (not to be confused with pH acid for the leavening in the presence of a base) that is sometimes described as “brightness”, when it is added to chocolate. The cake will be fine without the coffee flavor. However, it would be better with it :)

    • Scully

    How long did you bake it for? The instructions say not to over-bake, but no time frame is listed.

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Scully: I baked mine for about 50 minutes but I would begin checking it about 5 minutes before. I’ll add that to the instructions – I’d made a post-it note to myself in the recipe, but will add it for everyone else ; )

    Monica: You can use brewed or instant coffee. I used coffee from my moka pot, but any strong, dark coffee (…or even espresso…) would do.

    • Theresa

    Oh, I have this exact cake pan, and I love it! It is tough to fill those creases, but I just let go of any concern about the little holes and call it a rustic look.

    I’m traveling through August, but I cannot wait to try this recipe when I finally return to the Bay Area!

    • Cenk

    The cake looks incredible. I’m so happy to hear you liked it. Thank you so much for the compliments! By the way, to avoid air bubbles in the creases, I use a small spoonula instead of a piping bag. I spread small amounts of batter into the creases first, then scrape the rest of the batter and smooth the top.

      • amber

      I love your blog! You have such a sweet personality online ; ) Have read for 10 years or more. Congratulations on your book – it looks gorgeous!

    • Sally

    I have the same pan, and I have had identical “issues” with air bubbles along the edges. I put it in quotes because I can’t bring myself to care, but am glad to know that it’s not just me! I had wondered if it had to do with the texture of cakes that I tend to bake in bundt pans – I am usually putting quite dense batters in. But I haven’t actually tried any techniques to get rid of the bubbles.

      • Carla

      How about tapping the pan lightly against the counter to get the mix to settle into the creases?would that work?

        • David
        David Lebovitz

        Usually that does the trick. But this batter was really thick (all that chocolate!). A friend who’s a baker, Cindy Mushet, said to try sprinkling in a few fine, dry breadcrumbs (not panko) into the creases after buttering the mold. She said they disappear once the cake it baked. Worth trying!

          • eugenie

          Since you mentioned the difficulty of buttering the mold – here’s a trick I use with my Bundt pan – while the oven is preheating, put a good pat of butter in the Bundt pan and pop it in the oven for just a few moments – the butter will soften enough for you to spread it generously into all the crevices – hope this helps

          • JanetMoh

          I greased my pan and sprinkled it with sugar. I’ve had many “stickage” issues using a bundt. I found the sugar was a great solution. It gives the cake a nice crunchiness.

          I had to chill the glaze to thicken also.

    • Barbara

    Beautiful cake! Does everything a homey chocolate dessert should do. Thanks David for featuring delicious accessible recipes, perfect for home cooks that want to make people happy with the food they serve.

    • Taste of France

    That is such a dramatic cake mold. Worth the bubbles (being near-sighted, such minute details are lost on me).
    So I guess you are in the butter camp on cakes. I usually am, but my grandma’s chocolate cake recipe takes oil, and is so moist and lovely.

      • eekey

      Taste of France-
      I too prefer cakes made with oil or a very modest amt of butter. Perhaps y ou would share Grandma’s recipe.

    • Karen Roseth

    I have been making such a bundt cake for about 45 yearss. I call it Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake as I add chocolate chips and it is my elder son’s birthday cake every year. It’s true; everything comes around again.

      • Liz

      My mom also used to make a “triple chocolate cake” which this reminded me of, starting about 40 years ago. The three chocolates were chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding mix, and chocolate chips. I occasionally crave that cake, but have never been interested in buying mixes, so I’m excited to try this one. I’ll add some chocolate chips in honor of my mom!

    • easknh

    I made Melissa Clark’s boozy chocolate cake recipe in a similarly elaborate bundt pan for a New Year’s Eve party. I was also concerned about the cake releasing from the pan but generously schmeared softened butter into all the creases and “floured” with a mixture of cocoa powder and sugar as recommended by some of the commentators on that recipe. I also ended up with bubbles but sifted on some powdered sugar which highlighted the shape and I am sure no one noticed the bulbs.

    • Sarahb1313

    Ok, I needed a chocolate bundt over the holidays and ended up with a better but still dry one. What is up with that? I did make it with peppermint extract and sprinkled red sugar. It tasted good, but my pet peeve about dry chocolate bundt…
    So, please tell me this luscious looking moist appearing version is moist? I will try it this week!!!!!!!

    (And whah?!!! Caramel hazelnut cookies?? How will I ever shed the holiday food fest I am carrying with these recipes, AND your book L’Appart?!?)
    And fun meeting you again at 92Y :-)
    -Sarah

      • amber

      ooo red sugar over chocolate sounds quite beautiful! will have to remember that for Valentine’s day, thank you!

      • Sherry

      My cake was extremely dry also. I probably overbooked but not sure if I will try again. I want to because I feel like the dryness was my fault.

    • Annette

    Thanks for the recipe David (and Cenk!). I just got the Nordic Ware Crown Bundt pan and was looking for the perfect chocolate cake to make in it. Great timing :)

    • M. K. Euler

    I have a thick rubber bundt pan which I purchased decades ago and never used because it seems, well, so unlikely somehow?! I’d like to try it out with this decadent recipe. Any “tips” for using such a vessel, or should I place it in the bag with other items for the Wild Bird Thrift Store?!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      It’s likely silicone. Those pans work fine, although you need to place them on a baking sheet before filling and baking. Otherwise, you’ll learn the hard way when you try to put it in the oven, that you should have put a baking sheet under it first ; )

        • M. K. Euler

        Great to know…I’ll give it a try. I lived in Austria back in the 1960’s and we celebrated EVERYTHING with a “Gugelhupf” cake, so I bought this pan with the thought I’d make one some day. But this looks ever-so-much tastier! Danke!

    • barbara ganulin

    david…where can i purchase the bundt pan? barby ganulin

      • Lee K

      Barbara Ganulin- Find it on Amazon or NordicWareUSA

    • Tom L

    What could possibly be wrong about “double chocolate” cake! Just the pictures you posted make me salivate. Gotta go now and work on making this beauty!

    • Philip_B

    This looks great! In step #8, I’m guessing that should be 30 seconds (not minutes.)

    • Fran11229

    Looks fantastic. But heads up on two possible typos. In Step 5, Be while you’re mixing…” Is a word missing? In Step 8, “Let stand for 30 minutes…” Should that be 30 seconds?
    Thanks.

    • kathleen

    Merci ! I very recently purchased this fancy bundt pan and have used it only once. This is the perfect excuse to pull it out and use it again.

    • Brenda

    I will have to try this recipe. I have that Bundt pan, and I usually make a Mississippi Mud cake from Buttercup Bakes at Home, which is a good cake. I didn’t know that the nonstick spray was against the warranty, but I used it once to poor results. I use butter, and then I “flour” with cocoa powder. The cocoa powder really filled in the ridges, and that caused me concern; however, I didn’t get much bubble formation, so maybe it was a good thing.

    • Jan

    For those of us in France, two questions: first, what flour precisely as there are so many; and second, heavy cream is not available – what would you suggest?

    thanks,
    Jan

      • Christina

      When I was in Paris a couple of months ago, I found heavy cream. In the basement of the Galeries Lafayette Gourmet, there were small white bottles of it. I’m sorry that I forget how it was labeled. The end of the aisle had the Bordier butter, and it may be produced by the same people.

    • Pam

    Oooo. I needed this post.
    Thank you!

    • Huw Rowlands

    I have to say that in my experience Turkish is one of the easiest languages to learn -its basics anyway – no irregular verbs, no masc/feminne nouns, no changes in adjectives and it is relatively easy to pronounce (tho’ Anglophones usually struggle with accents) and it sounds beautiful.
    The downside is that the structure of words and sentances is quite different from English.
    ps the cake looks lovely

    • Rachel

    Typo in step 8? “Let sit for 30 minutes then stir?” – guessing 30 seconds

    Looks AMAZING!

    • Maggie Rose

    I have this exact Nordic Ware pan, as well as the mini 6 count “bundtlet” version. My go-to solution for greasing is coconut oil dusted with flour, and my cakes always release with ease. Coconut oil works for me, as I cannot detect any flavor, it never over browns (this is trickier for me with butter), and it’s always in the right semi-solid state for working into those deep crevices. I apply it with a sandwich bag when I don’t want the oil getting worked into my fingernails.

    • Ellen A.

    Reminds me of a favorite cake my grandmother would always make for my birthday. I think it somehow had frosting in the middle? It was called a “tunnel o’fudge” cake. Do you remember that one?

    • Tracey F

    I bought this pan last year and love it. I had the air bubble issue in one cake (the one with the stiffer batter). Next time I’ll use a bamboo skewer to swipe through each of the ridges to see if that will take care of it.

    One thing to be aware of is that these specialty pans have less capacity than the traditional bundt; if making a recipe not developed for these pans, be ready to put potential excess batter in a loaf pan or cupcake pan to bake for a cook’s treat.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Thanks. I wondered about that as well but this one did say 10-cup capacity and worked well with the recipe. But you’re right; it’s a good idea to check the capacity of the pan, as well as the size.

    • Krystal

    This looks *amazing* and is made out of ingredients I always have on hand. (and it might even be chocolate-y enough for me!).

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Fran, Phillip & Rachel: Fixed! I have to use a recipe plug-in so people can print the recipes out and I have to fit each ingredients and step into a module, so it’s easy to goof. (It kind of drives me wonky…) Thanks for letting me know.

    • Suzannah Kolbeck

    This cake is in the over right now, although I used a plain old, unfancy bundt pan and used my own GF flour blend.

    Looks heavenly and smells divine.

    • Catrin

    I share your misgivings about the finish-compromising effects of cooking/baking sprays and other random oils, and that
    includes good quality canola and grapeseed. Other than butter (or clarified butter), I have found that there is only one
    type of oil that does not produce the inevitable permanent gummy finish on non-stick surfaces, and it’s pure coconut oil.
    After tossing a couple of high-quality Circulon griddles used for pancakes, I have been able to keep my last one pristine
    for many years. I never use anything on it but butter or coconut oil, and it cleans up perfectly with no effort.
    Perhaps a chemist or food science-y person might tell us why. I just know that it works.

      • John

      That’s interesting about the gummy finish on non-stick surfaces. I’ve a couple of trays with such gummy muck on, and still trying to find some way of cleaning it off. Just occurred to me to try Cola, that well known cleaning agent, and tooth desolver. (Seriously!)

      Gummy muck came from shop brought things, like “oven chips” (fries), pizza, so what on earth are they putting in these things. And the reason I sometimes eat them (or not any more, after the gumming up of the trays, and thinking “what am I eating?”) is, when I get in late, it’s stuff like this or I just head straight for bed with no supper – even if I’ve been good all day.

    • Tiffany

    Hi, i seen another post about coffee, but i am still confused about the coffee. I am not a coffee drinker so, i don’t know a lot about coffee. How do i know if i am buying a strong coffee, does it say it on the package? If i brew it myself, how do i know i am making a strong coffee? Do i put a lot of coffee and a little bit of water, or do i just follow what the directions say on the package and what i get is the strong cup of coffee, because i don’t add anything to it?

      • Tracey F

      Just buy some espresso powder and mix up the amt required using the label directions. Or, regular instant coffee for that matter. No need to overthink it.

      • Cenk

      Hi Tiffany – To be precise, I use 3 tablespoons (18 grams) of medium-fine ground coffee to 3/4 cup (180 grams) of water, which gives you a bit more than 1/2 cup (120 grams) of very strong brewed coffee. You can substitute an equal amount of espresso.

    • Suzannah Kolbeck

    Done, and SO DELICIOUS!!

    My glaze was much runnier than yours in the pix; I poured it over multiple times and ended up with a lot leftover (tough problem to have!!), but what did stick to the cake made the top bit of it almost like pudding.

    • france

    I was wondering what to do with all of these 100% cacao chocolate bars the BF brought home the other day when I asked for chocolate and now I know… xo

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      This is a great cake but uses bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Bitter chocolate (with 100% cacao) likely won’t yield very good results. I’d use it in brownies!

    • Joanne

    I love opening e-mails from you! Can’t wait to try this. It sounds delicious as is – but my husband said how about salted caramel on top in place of glaze? I might just make BOTH. Our favorite is your salted caramel ice cream.

    • zeldie stuart

    Definitely making this cake when the grandchildren visit and when I have my next dinner party. Although would like a piece right now.
    I have used Baker’s Joy baking spray on all my bakeware for years and have found that none of the pans wore down. they are all in good shape. You have to spray right before the batter goes in.
    Every now and then I take the time and effort to butter every nook and corner of my fancy bundt pans, then dust with flour. Both methods work great.

    • Susan

    Regarding cooking spray, I recently learned from a commercial cooking supply store that it’s the propellant ingredient in the spray that collects on the pans and eventually browns or burns. That may be what voids the warranty. But a work-around is to use an oil mister — one of those devices you fill with your own oil and “pump” to atomize. No propellant ingredient and excellent coverage for pan greasing.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Yes, apparently the propellant leaves the residue that browns & discolors, especially on (or in) non-stick pans. According to the Nordicware website, “Before each use, brush with butter or shortening and dust with flour or cocoa to coat. Baking spray containing flour may also be used. Do not use regular cooking spray.” So wonder if the spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy, doesn’t have the same propellant?

      I used to have an oil mister, a while back, but found that the oil came out in a thick, irregular “spray” rather than a fine mist like supermarket cooking sprays do. I eventually stopped using it because it was hard to clean and wasn’t really saving me that much time or work. But maybe they’ve changed since then.

    • Karen Brown

    Cenk’s book, The Artful Baker, is such a joy to read, as well as bake from. His enthusiasm for his craft leaps off the page. I’ve been baking my way through the cookie section, but your post has inspired me; off to make this cake today!
    I’ve several of the Nordic bundt pans with the non-stick finish, and always just sprayed them with Bakers Joy. Never had any problems with sticking using this method, except for a pound cake from Trish Boyle’s “ the Cake Book”, that has a layer of brown sugar strudel mix in the middle of the cake. That one always leaves little chunks stuck to the tin, but it’s so good, I forgive its somewhat battered appearance.
    I’ve done this for about five years with some of the pans, and there doesn’t appear to be any problem with the finish on the pans. I do wash all my pans in the dishwasher, so that may be why I have no problem with buildup.
    I appreciate your generosity in bringing other cookbook authors to your readers attention. Cheers from the Edge of the Map, Karen

    • Carrie Pacini | For The Feast

    I was wondering what you baked with your Birthday Pan! This looks sinfully delicious!

    • Lori

    I’ve been lucky enough to have eaten this cake. It is delicious. I also had the good fortune of trying about 11 other recipes from the book when Janet Fletcher hosted a cookbook party for Cenk and invited a dozen amazing pastry chefs and cooks from the Bay Area to prepare a recipe. The tahini brownies that my friend, Sarah Scott made from the book were incredible. The book is beautiful and his story is heartwarming. Fun to see you bring it all to life with your gorgeous photos.

    • kathy

    I buy a product at William Sonoma called bake clean KLENEZT and it is the only thing that I spray any of my Nordic pans with Ivan and this was told to me that I am to use only this not butter or anything else and I hear five or six of the Nordic pans I’ve never had any problem with anything not releasing and everything comes out beautifully and I use these pants consistently I’m about to bake another fancy cake this week but I’ve never ever had a problem just using the Bakey said it is BAK KLENEZTE for those in the US I buy it at William Sonoma it may be available other places but that’s my go to I love the Nordic pans and just use them all the time I don’t know about that Baker’s Joy I I’ve been told that there is a build up in us I said previously I would never ever put mine in the dishwasher I’m anxious to try this recipe I had a plan to fix the birthday celebration cake this week and Now I’m planning on using this recipe but I’m going to have to go back and look at the comments because it appears that there are some corrections to the recipe is it it is printed perhaps it can be reinserted with the corrections yes I would like to be able to print it off I’m also going to have to look at this cookbook that everyone is talking about where I found the site that is supposed to say glad I found this site

    • Joyce Konigsberg

    I can’t tolerate coffee – is there a suitable substitute for it in this recipe?

    Please help!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Yes, there are grain-based beverages that dissolve in water (like instant coffee) which work very well in recipes like this. Some brand names include Pero, Roma, and Cafix. Most natural foods stores carry them as well as Whole Foods, and you can find them online, too. If you do a lot of baking, where coffee is sometimes called for, it might be worth having a jar. (If not, water would probably work in this recipe, or even black tea, which pairs nicely with chocolate, too. I haven’t tried either though. If you do, let us know how they work out.)

    • Lynn

    Since I couldn’t find Mom’s bundt cake pan I had to buy the gorgeous one like you have, and can’t wait to make this cake.

    • Lynn

    Like one of the other commenters, my glaze appeared to be much runnier than yours. Is there a trick to getting a thicker glaze? Maybe not pour it when warm? Thanks, wonderful recipe!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Mine didn’t really need to cool down; it was fairly thick when I went to pour and glaze with it. Although because it’s winter, and pretty cold, perhaps that was a factor. So yes, if it’s too thin, let it cool a bit. I’m adding a note to the recipe about that. Thanks ~!

    • Poornima

    Tried baking this cake. After 60 minutes it was still liquid in the middle. Wonder if anyone else had a similar problem? I have put it back into the oven hoping for the best. I used a silicone Bundt pan.

    • Sandra

    Made this yesterday for my two teenage children and there’s nothing left! Thank you for the recipe. I’m currently enjoying your book, l’appart, and wish there were photos you could share.

    • Dianmari

    Read a tip about spraying with water and sprinkling with caster sugar. Releases with a faintly crunchy crust, which I like, and without the spotty appearance flour or cocoa produce. My bundt swirls aren’t as deep tho

    • Marcy

    I have the Artful Baker cookbook and this was the first recipe I made from the book and it is an EXCELLLENT cake! My pan wasn’t quite as intricate as your David, but I took Cenk’s tip and I used a pastry brush to get into the nooks and crannies of the pan with the butter. The only “mistake” I made was I let the cake go for 55 minutes in the oven and it was ever so (not terribly though!) slightly dry. I take note of your comment about when the toothpick should come out with a few crumbs on the end because at 50 minutes when I tested the cake my toothpick came out a little “wet” and I let it go for 5 more minutes…now I know better! Thank you for posting Cenk’s great recipe, it’s a total “keeper” and I will be making it again!

    • Dina

    Hi,
    Love this recipe and I can’t wait to try it! I was wondering if instead of the bundt cake pan that this recipe calls for, can we use a regular 9″ or 10″ round springform pan? Is it better to halve the recipe in that case? thanks!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      I haven’t tried it in a cake plan, but you might want to check online to compare the volume of cake pan sizes, to see how they correspond. The cake may bake differently (and you may need to adjust baking time). Some people improvise and use a heatproof bowl, tall custard cup, or ramekin, in the center of a cake pan to mimic a tube or bundt pan. You’ll need something quite tall for this cake (a ramekin might not work) – if you do try it, let us know how it works out.

      • Carol

      I’m in the same predicament. I went to the store today and found this exact bundt pan but it was $56.99 and I just couldn’t do it. I’ll let you know what happens.

        • David
        David Lebovitz

        That’s more than I paid. Williams-Sonoma has them for $28 and around the same price on Amazon (prices subject to change, but I saw those posted today)

          • Carol

          Yes on Amazon it’s $28 + 15 duty and shipping. (I’m in Toronto.) I did try the cake in a regular pan with a ramekin in the middle but I didn’t fill it with weights and when the cake rose it pushed it out. Result: hole in middle of cake! So this morning my husband is running to the store to buy the pan! It’s more $ than amazon but a wonderful local bake supply store so I’m going to go for it.

            • David
            David Lebovitz

            Didn’t know you were in Canada. You could use a tube pan (also called an angel food cake pan). Usually you can find those for $10-15, although not sure of pricing in Canada. Glad you have a good bakeware store in town – you’re lucky!

    • Tomese Buthod

    I just looked at the Williams-Sonoma website for their Bundt pans – they have tons of pictures of various cakes made in the Bundt pans of all shapes (including the one you used) and they even have a video on how to make the perfect Bundt cake – thought you’d be happy to know that EVERYONE of their cakes had the little air holes in the edges! All the various tips on buttering, flouring, tapping, spoonulas/vs pouring, etc. and they still had holes – so you appear to be at the top of the game. I’m going to make this for a friend’s birthday cake – I’ve been making her cake for almost 15 years now and every year I seek out something to outdo my previous attempts. Thanks for the recipe! Oh, and a question about “L’appart” – it made me sick to my stomach reading about your travails on getting your home renovated. Aren’t there inspectors in Paris who have to check on work in progress, especially for electrical and plumbing? In those old Parisian buildings, it seems like the French bureaucracy would have inspectors at every step of the way? Just curious about that detail of Parisian life, as my husband and I fantasize about life in Paris all the time.

    • Donna Butler

    David, I just finished your book. I hesitate to say I enjoyed it in view of all the frustration, pain and suffering you endured in redoing your apartment but I couldn’t stop reading it! I was so anxious and hopeful for you that you everything would turn out well for you in the end. I hope that it end well. I would have loved to see a picture of your kitchen. But I applaud your fortitude and courage. I love reading your blog and books.

    • Maritta

    Hi David, made the cake yesterday, done in 50 minutes, easy to make and very very tasty!!!ingredients easy and on hand! did not make the glaze, I prefer it without when I intend to use it for breakfast only.
    My only remark, it was a bit dry so I thought my oven did not behave…but I had it this morning and it was great, moist and perfect with my coffee!Thank you!

    • Elyse Lyons

    The base of my cake cracked a bit when cooking. I’ve had it happen on the tops of cakes before as well, and am wondering what causes that. It’s on the bottom this time, so not a big deal but thought I’d ask.

    • Kathy

    It’s Kathy again are used one cup of cream because I don’t like coffee I have not tasted the cake yet it’s still on the cooling rack but I can’t imagine that using additional cream would Adulterate the cake I’ll have to see what happens I am not good at this dictation

    • Barb

    It’s Kathy again are used one cup of cream because I don’t like coffee I have not tasted the cake yet it’s still on the cooling rack but I can’t imagine that using additional cream would Adulterate the cake I’ll have to see what happens I am not good at this dictation

    • Jeannette

    I made this cake yesterday and it is a great success! Looks just like yours and tastes divine. Nice and moist, loves by all who’ve tried it so far, already passed the recipe on to my daughter who will be making it soon. By the way I have the same tin, Nordic Heritage, love finding recipes for it because they always look impressive.

    • Denise

    I am so excited to be making this cake today–have been dreaming about it for weeks. Just baking in a traditional Bundt pan that usually is used for pound cake. I fear that I will end eating the whole cake in less than 24 hours. Would that be wrong?

    • Rochelle

    Cafe plus Fernando reminds me of the great song in Pajama Game called Fernando’s Hideaway! And of an innovative restaurant in Chicago called Fernando’s owned coincidentally by a Turk with great creative recipes 30 years ago where my fiancé and I enjoyed inexpensive delicious meals. So this book and this cake are must buy and must try! Thank you!

    • Rochelle

    (1) The first time I ever read about a home made Bake Release mixture was by a prolific recipe contributor named Kittencal in the old Recipezaar probably around 2000. It is exactly as described by someone in a comment above.
    (2) FWIW, the white hydrogenated fat product (Crisco & the like) was originally formulated to mimic LARD! As margarine was formulated to sub for butter. So I suppose that if you’re willing to eat pork, you could use lard in France or anywhere else it is sold if you cannot find Crisco.

    • ysnyc

    I made this cake this weekend. It was delicious and a hit. Served with mint chocolate chip ice cream which is pretty much gilding the lily. Thanks to David and Cenk! A few notes:
    1. I did push the finished batter through a sieve to break up any small clumps of flour that get masked with folding into batter.
    2. The batter only went up 50% of my 10 inch bundt pan (12 cup capacity) but by the time it was out of the oven, it had risen to near the top.
    3. I made the glaze with half/half (ran out of heavy cream) which thankfully thickened just as well.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      According to their warranty page: “All of our warranties are limited warranties because they require our products to be used according to the Use and Care instructions we provide and do not cover damage caused by accidents, misuse, overheating, use of cooking sprays, normal wear or non-home use.”

      You may wish to call them to get clarification as I don’t have any connection to the company. – Thanks

    • sherry michie

    I didn’t read through all the comments and I don’t know if mine is going to have bubbles yet since it is still baking. BUT, it looks like it rounded a little. Should I cut it off flat when it has cooled down.

    • Sherry

    I was wanting this to be the “best” chocolate cake I’ve ever baked. Mine was really dry. I don’t think I will use bittersweet chocolate for the glaze again as it was a little bitter for me. My glaze looked shiny when I first poured it but got “dull” after firming up. On baking, I check at the time it was suppose to be ready and there were too many crumbs clinging to the pick so I put it back in for 5 minutes and accidentally set it for 5 hours (wow) BUT I caught it and it probably cook 6-7 minutes longer instead of just five. I will try again, changing the chocolate and watching baking time better. I really wanted a moist cake.

    • Janeen

    I make a chocolate bundt cake which I found years ago in a food processor book. The instruction for that recipe calls for you to use a table knife and run it through the batter to break any bubbles. This may work in your pan as the knife would slide through the batter close to the edges but not touching the pan. Thank you for sharing this recipe. My family loves Turkish food.

    • Kitsa

    Went out and bought the exact bundt pan and made the cake. Came out perfect and tasted great! Thanks for the inspiration and the recipe.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Glad you liked the cake…and the pan! I love my pan as well and looking forward to using it more : )

    • Manhattanite

    Could I bake this in stoneware? I really don’t have more space in my kitchen-closet for another bunt pan….Thanks!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      I haven’t tried it but it should bake fine. You may need to adjust the baking time and as you do, be sure not to overbake the cake.

    • Moni

    Don’t know what happened but my dough spilled over the edge!!!And after 30 minutes I checked and the cake caved in!?

      • Moni

      Could it have been because I used pastry flour??

        • Moni

        The cake tastes very good and I will make another with regular flour.

        • David
        David Lebovitz

        Recipes, unless specified, use all-purpose flour and that’s what I use and recommend for this cake. Pastry flour (and cake flour) are weaker in gluten so perhaps that’s what happened to your cake.

          • Moni

          Thank you! I think so too. Just made the Banana Cake (Ready for Dessert) and it tastes very good!

    • Brad McNeal

    I’ve always marveled that David’s recipes turn out so well the FIRST try. I’ve spent some years cooking in restaurants and know that my food got significantly better through repetition. I don’t give up automatically the first time if it’s not perfect.I caution home cooks to go easy on yourself and try it again if disappointed, restaurant cooks are rarely perfect at the first crack at an unfamiliar dish. They do, however, have had loads of repetition at the basic skills. But David’s always work the first time! Dang this cake is a WOW!

    • Tina

    My son was asking for CHOCOLATE cake and I knew exactly where to come! Made this last night, exactly as written and it is fantastic. Definitely a keeper.

    • Chef Bega

    Oh that looks so delicious. I think I will try it to surprise, my pregnant wife :). She loves chocolate. The recipe looks easy. I will try it as soon as possible and I’ll let you know about the results. Thank you so much.

    • Sarah V.

    I am considering substituting half of the flour for whole wheat (I don’t have enough all purpose). How much additional liquid should I add to compensate for higher protein content of ww flour? Should I just add water or more coffee or maybe whole milk?

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      I’ve never made the substitution so can’t say if you’d need to add additional liquid. If you do try it, let us know how it works out!

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