This week’s TWD was selected by Kristin of I’m Right about Everything: milk chocolate mini-bundt cakes! When it comes to chocolate, I get the impression that most of my blogging buddies would choose a nice dark chocolate over milk chocolate any day. For me, though, it’s all about the milk chocolate. I don’t like bittersweet chocolate at all and while I will eat semisweet, it’s definitely not my chocolate of choice. I blame my sweet tooth for my love of milk chocolate – for me, the sweeter the better! In any event, I was psyched about this week’s selection as it’s rare that recipes actually call for milk chocolate, much less let it play a starring role!
This recipe was also fun because it let me use my mini-bundt pan, which is definitely one of the least used pans in my house, despite its cuteness. The recipe called for a swirl of nuts, cocoa powder and sugar in the center but since we don’t like nuts here, I substituted peanut butter chips in the swirl of 4 of the cakes (for Shane) and mint chips in 2 of them (for me). The cakes are topped with a chocolate glaze, which caused problems for many of us this week. Mine was very clumpy and looked nothing at all like the gorgeous photo in the book, but after thinning it with a bit of hot water, it was usable. Next time I’ll skip the glaze (which I did this time on my 2 cakes anyway) or make a chocolate ganache for Shane’s cakes.
So, did the cakes live up to my high expectations? Sort of. I absolutely loved the flavor of the milk chocolate cakes with the mint chips in the swirl. Chocolate and mint is one of my favorite flavor combinations so not a huge surprise. The texture of the cakes was another story, though. They weren’t dry, but were quite heavy and dense. I’ve gone over the recipe time and again in my head and can’t figure out where I might have screwed it up. I also know I didn’t overcook the cakes, so I’ll be curious to read about the rest of the TWD bakers’ experiences this week. I’ll definitely make this one again and hopefully I can pick up some tips for improved texture next time. Thanks to Kristin for hosting this week’s selection. You can find the recipe on her blog or on pages 188-189 of the book.
Lemon Bars
Glazed Grapefruit Cake
Orange Sherbet
Meyer Lemon Pound Cake
They sound fun with all your little additions, the guys here would go for those in a minute. Love the drizzle, I really need to work on drizzling…and knotting…and braiding. Your little cakes look lovely, and I agree, we need to drag those mini bundts out more often and use that pan! They are just so cute!
So cute! I wish I had a mini bundt pan.
Beautiful photos, T – what kind of camera are you using?? Love the chips in the second one, too! 🙂
I also love milk chocolate! The nuts were a fun addition (we like nuts). I read about the drizzle dilemma so I went with a yummy ganache. The texture was better the second day, maybe the ganache added moisture. I think it is a recipe worth playing with!
Milk chocolate and mint sounds delicious. I think that would have given these little cakes the boost they needed. I found mine a little dense and dry too and I don’t think I over-baked them.
I love milk chocolate, too, but opt for dark a lot of the time because it is less fatty and has more antioxidants. Nuts are another food that is so healthy…I try to incorporate nuts wherever I can!! Peace, Stephanie
Cute little cakes! I love milk chocolate too, but only eaten out of hand. My minis were a bit dense/dry too…especially the second day. Nothing the microwave couldn’t fix…
As always, beautiful photos! Your minis look great! I would love the peanut butter chips and the hubby would like the mint.
I’m so glad you got to make a recipe that indulged your love of milk chocolate. They look tres adorable…enough that I’m eyeing a mini bundt pan on Amazon! I don’t think you did anything wrong on this one. Really!
Mine were heavy and dense as well. I’m so jealous of your mini bundt pan 🙂 I was considering running out to grab one 😉
Your ganache doesn’t look clumpy, but mine was troublesome too! I think its because you are mixing two different temperatures of liquid together and it slightly seizes up. maybe warm up the corn syrup a bit? Would that change the chemical balance, I have no idea but its maybe worth a shot.
so tiny … maybe a mouthful – looks and sounds delicious
Too bad they didn’t live up to your expectations texture-wise. They look great though! And I heart chocolate-mint.
Mine were pretty dense too. The pan I used was really thin, so I reduced the oven temperature, and I was blaming the density on that. Now, though, it sounds like that’s just how the cake is. I’m not against heavy, but I am against dry.
I’m a big chocolate and mint fan too. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that sub! Great job on your bundts!
I don’t have a mini bundt pan so I maybe doing the larger version. This really looks delicious! Thanks for this!
Aww these are super cute!
Yup, mine were a bit dense too, but I made them in tiny ramekins, so not too bad. I covered them in caramel sauce, which made them yummy! Your photos are beautiful:)
Your mini Bundts are adorable, I’m glad you had an excuse to use your pan and make something with milk chocolate. The chips sound like a yummy addition!
I really wish I had read the P&Q on this one. My chocolate seized and I chucked it. Love the additions you made to yours! 🙂
that looks yummy.
Funny, but it looks perfect! You’d never know anything was clumpy! I was skeptical about the milk, but the flavor turned out great. Sorry it wasn’t a hit with you – there’s plenty more recipes to come! Looks fantastic Tracey!
Ciao ! they look so beautiful !! I’m sorry you didn’t like it !
Mine were super dense too, but I actually liked that. I’m not a cakey dessert sorta gal 🙂 And while I’m not a fan of chocolate + mint, the chocolate / peanut butter combo sounds fantastic…
Your cakes are so gorgeous, Tracey. I am loving your photos! My cake was dry, too. I think many of us had that experience!
Your pictures are gorgeous! Too bad you didn’t love the texture. They really look so good.
I love the mint chip idea. That would have been delish.
What gorgeous photos, Tracey! I think I might say that you to you every week, but it’s so true! Mint was a great idea for these. Too bad they weren’t what we were hoping for.
Im not sure what happened to my little breads..so dry. YOurs look great..sorry they weren’t a favorite!
Ooh, the mint sounds great and your cakes look like they turned out perfect. Love the unglazed mint one!
Your glaze looks so pretty, mine was so thick I just spread it on with a spatula. I assumed I over baked mine, and I think I actually did, but it’s good to know that even not over baked the texture was heavy and crumbly.
I made a large bundt and it was also dense. I thought I’d overcooked it. It was better the second day, but by the third it was dry and needed ice cream.
Your photos are wonderful!
I’m not the hugest fan of milk chocolate.. it’s all about the semisweet for me!
I guess it’s not such a bad thing that I skipped out since I’m not such a big fan of dense cakes. Maybe the denseness comes from so little granulated sugar because it had to be reduced to compensate for all the milk chocoalte and there was less air whipped in the butter? That’s just one of my crazy guesses….hahha
stunning photos! i prefer milk choc too 🙂
Ooooh! Mint chips in the swirl sound great! Thanks for baking with me this week!