Just want Chocolate

For the past few baking posts I've shared recipes that starred peaches and blueberries, the bounty of our Farmer's market.  But, you know what is always in season?  Chocolate.  Sometimes chocolate like to be eaten straight from the wrapper, but sometimes it wants to get dressed up and be a star and this cake lets it be the star.

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Vanilla Frosting

Adapted from Hershey's Rhapsody Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for Cake:

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 

1 cup boiling water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup Hot Chocolate Powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, 0%

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a standard bundt pan.

Combine in a medium sized bowl the chocolate chips and softened butter, and stir in the boiling hot water.

Blend together until the chocolate, butter and hot water make a silky chocolate soup.

In a separate bowl combine flour, hot chocolate powder, baking soda and salt and gradually blend in the chocolate soup.  

Then add the eggs, yogurt and vanilla and continue to blend, and pour into the prepared bundt pan.

I retained a little bit of the batter for 4 cupcake sized portion since we had friends over, and I wanted to taste test the new recipe, so I only baked it for around 40 minutes, even though the recipe calls for 55 to 60.  I would recommend checking at 40 minutes with the toothpick trick and then extending for five minutes and checking again.

After baking, let the cake cool in the pan for at least ten minutes, and then invert on a plate and if time allows continue to let cool.  I made my cake the night before a family party and made the glaze the morning of, but I am sure they could all be done the night before and would stay beautiful and delicious.

Ingredients for Glaze:

1/2 stick of butter

2 cups of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 - 3 tablespoons of hot water

This might be the most simple, most delicious frosting.  I think  you could be creative and add food color, or other flavor extracts (almond, mint, liquor, lemon, etc), but I kept it simple.

Melt the butter and gradually stir in the powdered sugar, water and vanilla.  

 Beat by hand with a whisk until smooth, adding more water a teaspoon at a time if you're finding it too thick, or lumpy.   This makes more than enough glaze - so maybe you'll lick the whisk, or share with a friend!

Pour a generous amount all around the cake, in any free form design.  I think with a cake this classic it doesn't need to look "too perfect".   I added some plain slivered almonds for fun - and crunch.  

Cut a big slice and enjoy!  This cake is sweetened with the sugar and chocolate chips, but not too sweet with the balance of the yogurt.  I think you could tweak this recipe with nearly anything you had on hand.  It's so moist you don't need anything else, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't love it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!