Wow, I think this really is the perfect chocolate bundt cake recipe!

This recipe comes from a fantastic new cookbook by Camilla Saulsbury called appropriately enough, Piece of Cake!: One-Bowl, No-Fuss, From-Scratch Cakes.

It is full of fantastic one bowl cake recipes, so delicious looking and sounding you don't know which one to try first. Well I suggest you start with this chocolate bundt cake.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 cup (250 mL) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup (175 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) instant espresso powder
3/4 cup (175 mL) boiling water
2 cups (500 mL) packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (250 mL) sour cream
3/4 cup (175 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon (15 mL) vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
Chocolate Ganache Glaze or chocolate sauce (if desired)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the chocolate chips, cocoa powder and espresso powder. Add boiling water and whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Add the brown sugar, baking soda, salt, eggs, sour cream, butter and vanilla to the cocoa mixture. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat for 2 minutes, until it is blended and fluffy. Add the flour and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. Beat again, this time on high speed for 1 minute.

Spray a 10-inch (25 cm) Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray and dust with flour. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 60 minutes or until a piece of uncooked spaghetti inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely. Spoon the glaze over top of the cooled cake (if you are glazing it), letting it drizzle down the sides.

Store the glazed cake at room temperature in a cake keeper, or loosely wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. Alternatively, wrap the cooled, unglazed cake in plastic wrap, then foil, completely enclosing the cake, and freeze for up to 6 months. Let the cake thaw at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

If desired you can serve pieces of this cake glazed or drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Makes 16 servings

This mini bundt pan is the ideal pan to use for creating twelve 1/4-cup miniature-size muffins, bundt cakes or pound cakes. Serve the individual cakes or muffins for brunch, afternoon tea or dessert. Nordic Ware 12-c. Nonstick Platinum Series Mini Bundt Pan

• For a Mexican Chocolate Bundt Cake - Add 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) cayenne pepper with the brown sugar. Omit the glaze and dust the cooled cake with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) confectioners' (icing) sugar.
• Use full-fat sour cream, not the reduced-fat variety. Reduced-fat sour cream will alter the taste and texture of the cake.