Marilyn's Note: Please be aware there is a TWO HOUR cooling time for this to ensure the warm cake doesn't collapse into the fudge tunnel. Also, they changed the walnut to pecans and jazzed up the icing with Dulce de Leche.
TUNNEL OF FUDGE CAKE
Makes 1 (15-cup) Bundt cake
3⁄4 cup (168 grams) refined coconut oil, room temperature
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3⁄4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
3⁄4 cup (165 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
6 large eggs (300 grams), room temperature
1 1⁄2 teaspoons (9 grams) vanilla bean paste
1 3⁄4 cups (210 grams) confectioners’ sugar
2 1⁄4 cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (85 grams) sifted Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons (3 grams) instant espresso powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt
2 cups (226 grams) finely chopped toasted pecans (1⁄4-inch pieces or smaller)
Dulce de Leche Glaze (recipe follows)
Garnish: chopped toasted pecans
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir coconut oil by hand until smooth and softened. Add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar; using the paddle attachment, beat at medium-low speed just until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla bean paste. With mixer on medium-low speed, beat in confectioners’ sugar.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture and finely chopped pecans to butter mixture, beating until almost combined. Fold by hand just until combined.
4. Spray a 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Spread batter into prepared pan.Firmly tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter 10 times.
5. Bake until top is shiny & set and an instant-read thermometer inserted near center registers at least 165°F (74°C), 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Using Your fingertips, gently press down center and edges of cake. (This helps minimize the gap in the center of the cake.) Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 1⁄2 hours.
6. Invert cake onto wire rack, and let cool completely. Spoon Dulce de Leche Glaze onto cooled cake. Garnish with pecans, if desired.
DULCE DE LECHE GLAZE
Makes about 1⁄2 cup
1⁄2 cup (148 grams) dulce de leche
1 tablespoon (15 grams) water, room temperature
3⁄4 teaspoon (4.5 grams) vanilla bean paste
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, stir together dulce de leche, 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water, vanilla bean paste, and salt; heat on high in 10-second intervals, stirring between each, until pourable. Use immediately.
TUNNEL OF FUDGE CAKE
Makes 1 (15-cup) Bundt cake
3⁄4 cup (168 grams) refined coconut oil, room temperature
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3⁄4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
3⁄4 cup (165 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
6 large eggs (300 grams), room temperature
1 1⁄2 teaspoons (9 grams) vanilla bean paste
1 3⁄4 cups (210 grams) confectioners’ sugar
2 1⁄4 cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (85 grams) sifted Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons (3 grams) instant espresso powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt
2 cups (226 grams) finely chopped toasted pecans (1⁄4-inch pieces or smaller)
Dulce de Leche Glaze (recipe follows)
Garnish: chopped toasted pecans
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir coconut oil by hand until smooth and softened. Add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar; using the paddle attachment, beat at medium-low speed just until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla bean paste. With mixer on medium-low speed, beat in confectioners’ sugar.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture and finely chopped pecans to butter mixture, beating until almost combined. Fold by hand just until combined.
4. Spray a 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Spread batter into prepared pan.Firmly tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter 10 times.
5. Bake until top is shiny & set and an instant-read thermometer inserted near center registers at least 165°F (74°C), 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Using Your fingertips, gently press down center and edges of cake. (This helps minimize the gap in the center of the cake.) Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 1⁄2 hours.
6. Invert cake onto wire rack, and let cool completely. Spoon Dulce de Leche Glaze onto cooled cake. Garnish with pecans, if desired.
DULCE DE LECHE GLAZE
Makes about 1⁄2 cup
1⁄2 cup (148 grams) dulce de leche
1 tablespoon (15 grams) water, room temperature
3⁄4 teaspoon (4.5 grams) vanilla bean paste
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, stir together dulce de leche, 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water, vanilla bean paste, and salt; heat on high in 10-second intervals, stirring between each, until pourable. Use immediately.