For Chocolate & Coffee Lovers: Italian Bundt Cake

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Chocolate Ricotta Bundt Cake with Espresso Frosting

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The Healing Powers of Coffee

This chocolate ricotta cake is moist with a nice chocolaty flavor—but not devil’s food cake. The nuts add a crunch, and cocoa powder gives an extra chocolate taste. This cake, freshly baked or warmed up in the microwave, is a fine Mediterranean version of a chocolate dessert made with real ingredients. It let me feel like I was a character in the film “Under the Tuscan Sun.” Thanks to my homespun chocolate cake, I transcended to an Italian bistro without leaving the comfort of my cozy cabin. (Excerpt from the new book The Healing Powers of Coffee: Nature's Surprising Superfood)

BUNDT CAKE

2 cups unbleached white whole wheat flour              
1 1/3 cups half and half milk

1/3 cup unsweetened premium cocoa powder            
1 cup chocolate chips, 60 percent cacao

1/2 cup granulated sugar                                           
1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 brown eggs                                                              
1 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons sour cream                                           
¼ cup European style butter

2 teaspoons baking powder                                       
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium sized bowl, combine dry ingredients. Then, add mixture of eggs, cheeses, melted butter and chocolate chips, and vanilla. Mix well. Pour batter into an 8” by 8” square baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool.

ESPRESSO FROSTING

2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar                                   
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

4 tablespoons European style butter, melted             
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup almonds, sliced                                                 
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

In a bowl, mix coffee and warm, melted butter and sugar to the consistency preferred. Add vanilla and cocoa powder. Spread with a spatula on top of cake. Sprinkle with nuts. Slice cake into squares. Place on simple plate and dust with cocoa powder. Serves 9 to 12.
(More recipes with coffee & chocolate in The Healing Powers of Chocolate)