Categories: Cook's Illustrated, bundt, cake, chocolate, dessert, light recipe

Ingredients

• Nonstick baking spray with flour
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (2 1/4 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar (14 ounces)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar , for dusting

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the inside of a standard 12-cup bundt pan with the nonstick baking spray

2. Combine the chocolate, cocoa, and espresso powder in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the chocolate mixture, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes to melt the chocolate. Whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

3. Process the melted chocolate mixture, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla together in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the batter to a large bowl. Sift half of the flour mixture over the batter and gently whisk in. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and continue to whisk the batter gently until most of the lumps are gone (do not overmix).

4. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Wipe any drops of batter off the sides of the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 50 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking (do not overbake).

5. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely, 1 to 2 hours. When cool, dust with confectioners’ sugar (if using).

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