A blend of warm spices gives extra zip to this chocolate Bundt cake. Because of the lovely shape the Bundt pan gives, this chocolate-spice cake needs no decoration. This recipe calls for a 10-cup Bundt pan, and the standard size is a 12-cup size. If you have a 12-cup Bundt pan, you can use it, but your cake will be a bit flat.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Yield: 14 to 16 servings
2 large oranges
1/2 cup crystallized ginger
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup cream
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 5 tablespoon butter, softened
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup molasses
6 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Zest the oranges.
Finely chop the crystallized ginger.
Place the orange zest and chopped ginger in a small mixing bowl.
Bring enough water to cover the mixture to a boil.
Pour the boiling water into the bowl and let steep for 10 minutes.
Drain the mixture and pat dry on paper towels.
Combine 1 cup sugar, the water, and corn syrup in a 1-quart heavy-duty saucepan.
Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.
Raise the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture until it turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes.
Wash down the sides of the pan with a damp pastry brush 2 or 3 times to prevent crystallization.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter, the orange zest, and ginger.
Add the cream.
Return the pan to medium heat and stir to dissolve any lumps; then set aside.
Finely chop the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water.
Stir often with a rubber spatula to ensure even melting.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Use 2 tablespoons of butter to grease the inside of a 10-cup Bundt pan.
Dust the pan with 2 tablespoons of flour and shake off the excess.
In a 2-quart bowl or over a large piece of wax paper, sift together the remaining flour, the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg.
Using a mixer, beat the remaining butter in a large mixing bowl until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Gradually add the brown sugar and sugar.
Continue to beat to cream together well while you add the sugars.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add the molasses and blend well.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the vanilla and the melted chocolate and blend well.
Add the dry ingredients in 3 stages, blending well after each addition.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, using the rubber spatula to smooth and even the top.
Bake the cake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it.
Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
Invert the cake pan to remove the cake.
Ladle pools of the orange-ginger caramel sauce onto plates.
Serve warm slices of the cake on top of the sauce.
Per serving: Calories 522 (From fat 228); Fat 25g (Saturated 15g); Cholesterol 131mg; Sodium 156mg; Carbohydrate 72g (Dietary fiber 3g); Protein 7g.