Tunnel of Fudge Cake (Lost Recipes)

Submitted by Chef PotPie

"I just read this in Cook's Country magazine. This cake was all the rage when I was a little girl. Pillsury discontinued the "secret ingredient" which was a Double Dutch Fudge frosting mix. The writer of this article reworked the recipe, (2 dozen times!) until she came up with this, which she says is just like the 1966 Bake-Off winner, with the fudgy "tunnel" frosting-like filling that holds its shape when cut. I'm saving it here to try! Cooking time includes required cooling time."

 

• Ready In: 4hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Yields: 1 bundt cake
• Serves: 12-14

ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE

• 3⁄4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting pan
• 1⁄2 cup boiling water
• 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups pecans or 2 cups walnuts, chopped fine
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups unsalted butter, softened

• FOR THE FROSTING

• 3⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄4 cup light corn syrup
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions

1. Do not use a cake tester, toothpick, or skewer to test the cake-the fudgy interior won't give an accurate reading. Instead, remove the cake from the oven when the sides just begin to pull away from the pan and the surface of the cake springs back when pressed gently with your finger.
2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder. Pour boiling water over chocolate in medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Whisk cocoa, flour, nuts, confectioners' sugar, and salt in large bowl. Beat eggs and vanilla in large measuring cup.
3. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. On low speed, add egg mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Add chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in flour mixture until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth batter, and bake until edges are beginning to pull away from pan, about 45 minutes. Cool upright in pan on wire rack for 1 1/2 hours, then invert onto serving plate and cool completely, at least 2 hours.
5. For the glaze: Cook cream, corn syrup, and chocolate in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Stir in vanilla and set aside until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Drizzle glaze over cake and let set for at least 10 minutes. Serve. (Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.).

Reviews

[GFJane]

This was excellent. As ladyfingers says, there are several recipes available. Unhappy with Pillbury's new recipe, I reviewed the other five I could find and decided to try this one first. It had a tunnel, the taste was excellent (better than the Pillbury's by far), and two people in my family who don't eat dessert had seconds. That said, I thought it was very heavy and dense. I saw one with sour cream; I might try it to see what happens.

 

[ladyfingers]

This cake was tasty, but it was only after making it that I checked to see if there were other Tunnel of Fudge Cake recipes posted. Indeed there are, and they require fewer and less costly ingredients. Some make a more traditional "tunnel." This was an enjoyable, but ordinary cake (it is very dense),and does give a fudgy layer, but if I had to do it over again, I'm not sure I'd pick this particular recipe because of the reasons described above.