Chocolate Mint Bundt Cake

Yesterday I bought a bundt pan at a charity shop for $1.50 - I'd never made a bundt cake, and I figured this would give me incentive without investing too much in case it turned out to be an utter failure.  I tried my first one today - simples!  I think I may have to try more.

Chocolate Mint Bundt Cake

Cake:
2 ounces Nestle dark chocolate and mint baking chips
3/4 cup applesauce, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 cups flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup strong-brewed coffee, cooled
1 cup buttermilk

Ganache:
5 ounces Nestle dark chocolate and mint baking chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon corn syrup
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Using a double boiler, melt 2 ounces of chocolate, stirring constantly.  Scrape the chocolate into a large bowl and let cool slightly.  Whisk in the applesauce and sugar, and then the egg.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Add half of the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture with 1/2 cup coffee and 1/2 cup buttermilk.  Whisk the batter together, then add the remaining dry, coffee and buttermilk and whisk until smooth.  Spoon batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth out.

Place pan in the oven (never put a Bundt pan on a tray - air needs to circulate through the hole in the center of the pan).  Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 45 minutes.  Be careful not to overbake.

Let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes and then invert it on the rack until fully cooled.

Ganache: Place 5 ounces of chocolate, the corn syrup, peppermint extract, and butter in a small bowl.  Heat the heavy cream until it just begins to boil in a small saucepan, or about 30 seconds in the microwave.  Pour cream over chocolate mix. Let stand for a few minutes then whisk until totally melted and smooth.  Let the ganache set for about 10 minutes (may need to refrigerate for that).  Drip over the cake in small spoonfuls so it doesn't all run off.  Let sit for 30 minutes before cutting.

 

Adapted just a slight bit from here.  If you like more mint flavour you could also add extract to the batter - I just like it a bit subtler.