Why is winter rain so gloomy? Days of dreary skies seem to push the color grey to a whole new sad level. It has been like that for the past week. I look out the window in hopes of seeing a tiny break in the clouds. A little sunshine would be lovely. Weather predictions are showing otherwise. At least there was a vision of tropics in my kitchen. A pack of coconut spurred thoughts of sunny warm days when I was baking this Chocolate Italian Cake.
It’s interesting this cake made me think of the tropics. Why? Because it is more of a holiday cake. In fact, many years ago I made the original version from Southern Living for my family’s Christmas dessert. That version is a decadent 3-layer cake with thick, rich chocolate frosting. It is a stunner and yet oh so much. I knew it was time to get out the recipe and put my own spin on it when I saw coconut as the theme for this month’s Bundt Bakers.
My theory was tested. I’ve always thought pretty much any cake can be baked in a bundt pan. Pound cakes are a breeze. Regular yellow, white, or chocolate cakes work fine too. One I know for sure that would not work is my Glazed Carrot Cake because it would never come out of the pan (way too sticky after the glaze). So I put my theory to the test and baked the 3-layer Chocolate Italian Cake in a bundt pan. It baked marvelously and I could not have been more pleased with the result.
The next challenge was the frosting. Bundts are not really frosted like layer cakes. I think one of the things that makes bundts appeal to some is the more cake/less frosting ratio. My answer was to make a chocolate cream cheese glaze thick enough to give a decent layer and yet not completely cover the whole cake. Mission accomplished!
How does the Chocolate Italian Cake taste? It is German Chocolate Cake meets Italian Cream Cake in a most delicious way. It has a light chocolate flavor and is packed with coconut and pecans. The texture is a lighter crumb and somewhat airy thanks to folding whipped egg whites into the batter. The glaze adds a richness of chocolate cream cheese to the top. You know I saved the glazed bites for the last ones as I am a frosting gal at heart.
Are you ready for a trip to the topics? Or at least feasting on a coconut dessert while thinking about a tropical paradise? Scroll down to find a whole bunch of coconut bundt cake recipes by talented bakers from all over the world. Thanks to Terri of Love and Confections for hosting and challenging us with such a wonderful ingredient to bake with this month.
Chocolate Italian Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs at room temperature and separated
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans
For the glaze:
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups confectioners sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 4 to 6 tablespoons half-and-half plus more if needed
- Sweetened coconut flakes for garnish
Instructions
For the cake:
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Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease and flour a 12-cup bundt cake pan.
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Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
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Beat egg whites in a large bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
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In a separate large bowl, beat butter and shortening until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat well to combine.
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Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
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Add flour mixture in three additions, alternatively with buttermilk in two additions, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix.
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Stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Fold in egg whites.
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Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool cake in pan for 12 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
For the glaze:
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Beat cream cheese, butter, and salt until creamy.
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Add confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, and 4 tablespoons half-and-half. Beat or stir until combined. Add more half-and-half in 1/2 tablespoon (or less) increments until desired consistency is reached.
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Try not to get it too thin as you want a thick layer of glaze on the top of the cake.
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Spoon glaze over top of cake. Sprinkle coconut flakes on glaze.
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Refrigerate cake when not serving.
Recipe Notes
Chocolate Italian Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Glaze is German Chocolate Cake meets Italian Cream Cake in a most delicious way. It's a bundt cake too.
Recipe adapted from a layered Chocolate Italian Cake by Southern Living.
Bundt Bakers January 2015 theme is coconut. Take a look at these recipes for beautiful and delicious bundt cakes filled, topped, or flavored with that lovely tropical fruit:
- Almond Joy Bundtlettes from Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Candy Bar Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake from Love and Confections
- Chocolate Italian Cake from Magnolia Days
- Coconut & Banana Bundt Cake from Just One Bite Baking
- Coconut Banana Bundt Cake from Basic N Delicious
- Coconut Carrot Bundt Cake from Media Racion Doble, Por Favor
- Coconut Cream Bundt Cake from Adventures in All Things Food
- Coconut Hummingbird Bundt Cake from Patty’s Cake
- Coconut Milk Bundt Cake from I Love Bundt Cakes
- Coconut Milk Bundt Cake from Un Mordisco Un Pecado
- Coconut Oil Pound Cake from The Spiced Life
- Coconut Orange Bundt Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream from Cassie’s Kitchen
- Coconut Sugar Banana Cake from A Kingdom for a Cake
- Cranberries and Coconut Bundt Cake from La Cocina de Aisha
- Cranberry, Orange and Coconut Bundt Cake from Kidsandchic
- German Chocolate Bundt Cake from The Freshman Cook
- Glazed Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake from Food Lust People Love
- Gizzada Mini Bundts from Passion Kneaded
- Key Lime Coconut Cream Bundt from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Mini Samoa Bundt Cakes from Making Miracles
- Orange & Coconut Bundt from Living the Gourmet
- Oreo Coconut Bundt Cake from Indian Curries/Stew
- Pina Colada Cake from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Rhubarb n Rose Coconut Frosted Bundts from Baking in Pyjamas
- Rum Bundt Cake with Coconut and Lime from Bourbon and Brown Sugar
- Toasted Coconut Sweet Potato Bundt from Tea and Scones
- Toasted Coconut Lime Bundt Cake with Chili Lime Glaze from Brooklyn Homemaker
What is Bundt Bakers? It’s a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Bundt Bakers Pinterest board for incredible bundt cake recipes and inspiration. Stacy of Food Lust People Love heads up our group and has a #BundtBakers page where you can find information and links to the recipes for each month.
How is the monthly theme determined? We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
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Jelena says
It looks perfect, your instincts were obviously spot on!
MB @ Bourbon and Brown Sugar says
Renee, this cake looks absolutely fabulous! I loved this theme… I think it brought the tropics to many a kitchen over the past few days 🙂
Tux | Brooklyn Homemaker says
Another absolutely gorgeous bundt Renee! Reading your post was like reading my own thoughts! I’ve been talking lately about how winter rain is much more depressing than snow because it’s so grey and dreary! We don’t get nearly as much snow here in Brooklyn as I did when I was growing up upstate- and I miss it. Winters here can be so depressing.
And- It’s funny how coconut can feel both tropical and perfect for winter at the same time. I always love a perfectly white coconut layer cake at Christmas time because it looks so snowy and wintery!
This cake sounds like heaven! German Chocolate Cake meets Italian Cream Cake… Where do I sign?
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook says
This cake is absolutely beautiful. Chocolate cream cheese glaze?! Yes, please!
Stacy says
I am pretty sure that you are right and any cake can be baked in a Bundt pan, especially a good quality Nordic Ware one. I don’t know about your glazed carrot cake but I surprised myself with an apricot upside cake when it still slipped out fairly easily.
Love the cream cheese glaze and your beautiful chocolate Italian cake, Renee!
Victor says
I do not understand the point 6 of the glaze: “4 to 6 tablespoons half-and-half, plus more if needed” and also step 2 of the instructions for the glaze “and 4 tablespoons half-and-half. Beat or stir until combined. Add more half-and-half in ½ tablespoon (or less) increments until desired consistency is reached”.
Might clear to me that you refer?
Thank You.
Renee says
Because I’ve learned with making glaze with confectioner’s sugar is that the amount of liquid to get it to the right consistency can vary depending on the brand of sugar and if it was properly sifted. I always start a with a little less (which is why I stated 4 tablespoons) and then add a little at a time until I get it to the consistency I want for the cake.
[email protected] in Pyjamas says
Renee, that glaze is to die for! In fact the whole cake is to die for!
Terri/Love and Confections says
Thanks for participating. I love both German Chocolate Cake and Italian Cream Cake so I’m sure this would be such a hit here.
Cassie says
This looks incredible! I absolutely love Italian cream cake, but I’ve never thought to combine it with chocolate. Yum! Most of the bundt cakes I make are actually adapted from triple layer cakes – I find that the same amount of batter works perfect for a bundt cake, and it’s so much easier to assemble and so much less fussy! Beautiful pictures!
Rebekah @ Making Miracles says
So gorgeous – and sounds absolutely DIVINE! 🙂
Aisha says
Delicious!! I love that chocholate glaze 🙂
Winnie says
This is a gorgeous cake!! Looks absolutely DELICIOUS !!
Erin @ Simple, Sweet & Savory says
I saw this on Food Foto Gallery and had to come check it out. It looks so amazing! I love bundt cake and I always think of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” when I make and eat them. YUM! I can’t wait to try this! Pinning!
[email protected] Plaid & Paisley Kitchen says
Wishing I had a piece right now!
[email protected] Freshman Cook says
Oh my goodness, this looks amazing. The chocolate cream cheese glaze sounds so incredible.
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection says
I saw this photo on Facebook and was very intrigued! I need to buy a bundt pan now! 🙂
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says
Wow, what a tasty sounding cake. The photos are maiking my mouth water and I just got done iwth dinner!!
Laura says
That is a humdinger of a chocolate glaze. Mission accomplished, indeed!
Shilpi says
Looks delicious… Especially the frosting of cream cheese with the cake, seems to be perfect…
Catherine says
Dear Renee, you bundt is gorgeous and it sounds heavenly! Save me a slice please! xo, Catherine
Julie @ Texan New Yorker says
This sounds beyond amazing!! I love bundt cakes, they are so easy to make and fun to eat too!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
The images of this bundt cake have seriously made me hungry.. the glaze is just to die for!
Patricia Blanco says
Oh, my…!! That glaze looks delicious!!! I have to try it.
Un Mordisco Un pecado says
Your recipe sounds delicious…
Rossella says
I fall in love with your cake as soon as I saw it. It’s fabolous and coconut plus pecans make it delicious.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
sooo cool how you adapted this recipe for a bundt pan! It looks so irresistible! I looove it
Bea and Mara says
Just amazing! Were going to copy your recipe and try it soon, we´ll love it!!!!
Barbara says
just finished making this cake and my house smells great, not sure what the cake will taste like BUT the glaze is to die for. I needed to fill the bowl with soapy water in order to stop myself … Tks