Glazed Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake

I’ve been struggling to come up with a clever story or some funny anecdote to relay before I tell you about this chocolate macaroon bundt cake, but can I be honest with you? My mind is just somewhere else today. I could blame it on a variety of things I guess. On the top of the list is probably the fact that the sun was actually shining when I woke up! It’s been raining all week, with more of the same on the way for tomorrow and Friday so all I can think about is the long list of things I want to accomplish with this one gorgeous day. Priority number one is definitely getting out of the house to enjoy it!

Also, I’m equal parts ridiculously excited and super nervous because the Stanley Cup Finals start tonight with the Bruins facing off against the Blackhawks. I never imagined we’d be back here so soon after winning just two years ago, it’s crazy. My days have been consumed with hockey for the past month and a half – be it the games themselves, sports talk radio, newspaper articles, etc; I wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂 Best time of the year!

Baking actually helps to calm my nerves so I’ve been doing quite a bit of it as the playoffs have gone on. This chocolate macaroon bundt cake happened in the midst of our crazy stressful first round series. Apparently chocolate macaroon cake is a popular vintage recipe – one that many of our grandmothers were likely to have had in their repertoire, but it’s completely new to me! I loved the concept though – take a coconut macaroon mixture and bake it inside of a chocolate cake: a delicious flavor combo and also a fun visual surprise when you cut into the first slice.

I won’t lie, this is one of those recipes that is going to leave you with a giant sinkful of dirty bowls. It’s absolutely worth it though! The combination of the rich chocolate cake with the chewy coconut center was fantastic, and the thick ganache glaze upped the chocolate factor even further. You definitely need to be a coconut fan to enjoy this cake, but if you are, it’s one of the most unique ways that I’ve seen to enjoy it!

Glazed Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake
slightly adapted from Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson

{Note: you can halve this recipe and bake the cake in a 6-cup bundt pan.}

Cake
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 cups (14 oz) sugar, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, divided
2 cups (8 oz) sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups (10 oz) plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup (2 oz) Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot coffee
1/2 cup (4 1/2 oz) sour cream (light is fine)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil

Ganache
4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

toasted coconut, for garnish

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

One at a time, crack the eggs, and separate the yolks from the whites, placing the yolks in a small bowl and the whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Attach the mixer bowl to the mixer, and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the egg whites. Starting on low and gradually increasing the speed, beat the egg whites until they achieve soft peaks. Then, with the mixer still running, gradually stream in 3/4 cup of the sugar and continue beating until the mixture reaches stiff peaks. Transfer 1 cup of this meringue to another bowl and fold in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, the coconut, and 1 tablespoon of the flour – this is the filling for the cake. Set this filling aside, along with the remaining meringue you didn’t use (you might want to transfer the remaining meringue to a separate bowl as you’ll need your mixer bowl later in the recipe).

Whisk the cocoa powder, coffee, and sour cream together in a measuring cup. In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 2 cups of the flour together with the baking powder and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 1/4 cups of sugar, the butter, the oil, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Mix on low just to combine, then increase the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. Add 2 of the egg yolks and beat until incorporated, then add the remaining 2 yolks, again beating until combined. With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the coffee mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until combined. Finally, add the meringue mixture you set aside earlier (not the filling!) and fold until incorporated.

Transfer just slightly less than half of the batter to the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Top with the coconut filling, doing your best not to let it touch the sides or center of the pan. Top the coconut filling with the remaining cake batter, covering it completely.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool for about 15-20 minutes, then turn it out of the pan (carefully, it’s a little fragile!) and allow to cool completely on the wire rack.

To make the ganache: Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer then pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes without stirring, then gently whisk together until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside for about 20 minutes to allow the ganache to thicken (you can do less time if you want a thinner ganache, I wanted mine to be thick), then drizzle over the cooled cake. Garnish with toasted coconut if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.