My sweet baby boy (who is six feet tall and driving now but I don’t care, he’ll always be my sweet baby boy) turned 16 this past week. And for this birthday, like all the past birthdays pretty much since he was old enough to eat solid food, I made him his favorite Chocolate Donut Cake. Nothing else will do.
From a pastry point of view, this cake has nothing to do with donuts. It is so named because the first time I made it, we decided that it looked, once slathered with its glossy chocolate glaze, exactly like a giant chocolate cake-style donut. Doesn’t it??
What it tastes like is deep, luscious, dark chocolate heaven. Using high-quality cocoa powder (I like Valrhona) for the batter, and a nice chopped-up dark chocolate bar for the ganache makes all the difference. I also add a smidge of espresso powder to deepen the flavor (it’s not enough to impart a mocha-like flavor – it just makes it more chocolate-y).
Bundt-style cakes tend to do very well at altitude. They rise up beautifully and you don’t have to worry about the center collapsing because, hey, there isn’t one. They can dry out fairly easily, though, so you have to be careful not to over-bake, and to remove them from the pan quickly. I also add an extra egg yolk to keep everything dense and moist.
An aside: Jacob and I think moist is the most hilarious word ever. People love to hate it, but hearing it instantly turns both of us into 12-year olds dissolving into giggles. Hence the PERFECT birthday card:
Heh. Anyway. Cake! Moist. Good.
It bakes up rich, fudgy, and dense, with a bottom crust that’s almost brownie-like.
For many people, a birthday cake without buttercream frosting is unthinkable, and there is no law that says you couldn’t do that here. However, to achieve the look we’re going for, we are partial to ganache, which is the easiest to make. Heat cream. Chop chocolate. Pour cream over chocolate and mix until it’s one big dark glossy bowl of heaven (lick spoon). Done.
If you just want a bit of ganache, you can just drizzle it artfully over the cake, but if you want it to look like a chocolate donut, you’re gonna have to smear it all over, top to bottom (it’s super messy; consider yourself warned). In order to get the ideal coverage – and to use allllll the ganache – I do two coats, letting the first set a bit before slathering on the second. Add the (necessary) sprinkles while the ganache is still wet (or MMMMMOIST, some might say).
End result? Happiest boy ever. That’s the same smile he had when he was five, by the way. Happy birthday, Jacob. Your mama loves you. See ya back here same time, next year.
Chocolate Donut Cake
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour, 15 mins
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Thrill kids and adults alike with this cake that looks like a giant donut but tastes like a gourmet dark chocolate dessert.
Ingredients
CAKE BATTER
2.5 cups (11 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1.5 oz) good-quality cocoa powder, such as Valrhona
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 lb (1 stick, 8 TB) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup + 2 TB (9 oz) granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation)
3 large eggs + one yolk, at room temperature
1 3/4 cup (14 oz) buttermilk
ICING
10 oz good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation)
Rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, positioning a rack in the middle of the oven. Prepare a bundt pan by greasing (with butter, shortening, or cooking spray) thoroughly, making sure to get into all the cracks and crannies, and then dust with cocoa powder.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder. Stir in baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.
In a separate bowl, using a hand-held or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla, then add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time.
With the mixer on low speed, add half the flour/cocoa mixture, then half the buttermilk. Repeat. When all ingredients are combined, mix at medium speed for 15-20 seconds (no more) to whip just a bit of air into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, evening out the top with a large spoon or rubber spatula. Bake for 40-45 mins, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool briefly on a rack. When the pan is cool enough to handle, place a plate or cardboard cake round on the top and invert it (if needed, run a knife around the sides of the cake to ensure it will release). If not frosting immediately, cool just a bit more and then wrap in plastic so the cake doesn’t dry out.
Make the ganache: place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil (watch carefully so it doesn’t boil over). Pour hot cream over chocolate, add vanilla, and stir until the ganache is uniformly dark and glossy. It will be fairly thin but will thicken as it cools. To speed this process, you can place it in the fridge for a few minutes. If you want a much thicker frosting-like ganache, whip it with a hand-held or stand mixer to your desired consistency.
Drizzle and/or spread ganache on top and sides of cake using a rubber spatula. Decorate with sprinkles. Store in an airtight container. Leftovers keep for several days.
Love that kid!!
Think I’ll be making that cake real soon… just so I can lick the spoon!
Hello! I’ve made this cake twice, but both times the batter fails to bake within the 40-45 minutes. It’s as wet as liquid gets, with a flaoting crispy top… I leave it in for longer but when it’s finally done it’s all dried out =(
I’m really sorry to hear that! I’ve made this recipe successfully for years. My first thought is oven temp – do you use a freestanding oven thermometer? Oven thermostats are often off, sometimes by 25 degrees or more so it’s important to use one. Also, because this recipe was formulated to be baked at high elevation, if you are at a significantly lower elevation you might need a couple of adjustments. If that’s the case let me know and I’ll send you a couple fixes!
How would you adjust this for 300 ft altitude?
Hi, unfortunately I don’t have a way to test at altitudes that low, so I can only guess at adjustments. I would try reducing the amount of flour by 1/4 cup and maybe adding a couple tablespoons of sugar.
What size is the bumdt pan 0ls?
Hi Robyn
Just made this recipe for my husband’s birthday. It came out perfectly at 9’000 ft here in Bailey CO. Love love your website and thank you for letting me enjoy baking again. Haven’t tasted it yet but it smells divine.
Wonderful! So glad you had birthday cake success. 🙂
Hi, I also love your site! I’m in Cusco, Peru at 11,000 ft. I’m about to try this recipe since I messed up a regular chocolate cake yesterday! Two questions: 1. I don’t have instant Expresso powder, do you think I need some substitute or can I just leave it out?
2. Do you think this would work in a normal cake pan rather in a donut one?
Thanks so much!
The espresso is there to deepen the flavor but can easily be omitted. Bundt pans – or any pan with a hole in the center, like an angel food cake pan – are ideal for altitude because they allow the cake to bake evenly and not collapse in the middle. I have not tried this recipe in a standard cake pan, but please report back if you do!
I made this and it’s great! Only change is that it was a bit overdone at 35 minutes so be sure to watch the time.
Just wanted to add that I’m replacing all my chocolate cake recipes with this one! It’s really good—if you overbake like me, a coffee simple syrup or frosting down poked holes helps!
Great idea!
Best. Cake. Ever! So delicious and absolutely a crowd pleaser. Had it for my son’s birthday and he loved it and so did the guests. I had it for breakfast the next morning 😂💕 thanks for an awesome high altitude cake recipe!
Thanks, Megan! What a great breakfast! 🙂
Very good recipe! These donuts look amazing.
I’ve made this at least 10 times, following recipe to the T. The recipe is amazing!!!!!
In case it helps anyone:
– I create buttermilk by mixing 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar with 1 cup milk.
– I’ve used 4 eggs instead of 3+1 yolk and it’s still delicious 🙂
This recipe looks great! Can you make it ahead and freeze it? If so, any tips?
Yes, you can freeze it. Let the cake cool completely, then wrap carefully but tightly in plastic wrap and place into a large ziploc bag or sealed plastic container. Later, defrost the cake at room temp and frost.
Seriously, I’ve made this now 50x at least with no changes, and maybe 10x with small changes (e.g. subbing half of buttermilk for black coffee); everytime I make buttermilk by mixing milk with some apple cider vinegar and letting that sit fit a few mins. Amazing recipe make sure you try!! I used to be a very versatile baker and now basically only make this cake because nothing beats it 🙂 and I make the frosting with sprinkles too! Excellent excellent excellent!