GODIVA MOLTEN CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

Lava cakes are turning up on menus in every venue from fine dining establishments to chain restaurants. Since I've been using the same recipe for lava cakes for quite some time, when I saw an advertisement for Godiva that contained a recipe in this month's Food and Wine, I decided to give it a try. DSO had asked for a cake to take to work and I thought "the guys" could be the guinea pigs for Eric's Original Recipe for Godiva Molten Chocolate Bundt Cake. Inspired by Godiva's new chocolate lava cake truffle, it sounded like a winner.

4 oz Godiva dark chocolate Callets
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tbs espresso powder
1 cup sour cream
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups pecans (finely chopped or ground in a food processor)
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder (plus more for dusting pan)
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tbs vanilla
2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder.

In a medium bowl pour boiling water over the chocolate Callets and whisk until smooth. Whisk in sour cream and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground pecans, confectioners sugar, cocoa, and salt.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Turn mixer to low and add eggs and yolks slowly, scraping down the bowl as necessary and until well combined.

Add the dry mixture in 3 additions alternating with 2 additons of the chocolate sour cream mixture.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for no longer than 45 minutes. The edges should start to pull away from sides of pan and top will look cracked. A cake tester placed in center will be very wet. Let the cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 1/2 hours. Invert onto a serving plate and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Pour fudge glaze over the cake, if desired.

Fudge Glaze
3 tbs butter
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbs honey
8 oz semisweet chocolate
2 tbs rum

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the water, cream, honey and simmer over medium heat. Put chocolate in a bowl and pour mixture on top. Let sit for several minutes, then stir to combine.
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TASTE NOTES
This had to be the heaviest cake I've ever baked! I loved having the "lava" in each slice and the texture of the nuts, which I'd chopped rather than ground, added interest. "The guys" enjoyed the cake and the one slice I taste-tested was quite good, but I prefer the more souffle-like texture of my old recipe. I will, however, certainly use Godiva chocolate again when I make my lava cakes.