• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Dessert First

a san francisco food and travel blog | all things sweet

  • About Me
    • about pastrygirl
    • faq
    • press
    • Contact Me
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • My Books
  • Recipes
    • Breads
    • Cakes
    • Candy
    • Chocolate
    • Cookies
    • Custards
    • Fruit
    • Ice Cream
    • Pastry
    • Tarts
  • Sweet San Francisco
    • Sweet Spots
    • SF Events
  • Travel
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • California
    • Hawaii
  • reviews and recs
    • Cookbooks
    • Chocolate
    • Tools
  • Conversions

Vanilla, Mocha, Walnuts: Memories of Bundt Cake

Nov 13 by Anita 21 Comments

Walnutmochabundtcake

Some of my earliest memories of baking at home involved my mom, a box of cake mix, and a bundt pan. Now, to be completely fair to my mom and cake mixes, she came over to America at the age of 23, newly married, entering a foreign culture, knowing almost nobody. I don’t think she had baked a cake before she moved to the US. A little less than 3 years later, she had me – and then she really had a family to take care of.

In learning to run her new household, my mom became a stellar cook – I’m one of those people who can’t wait to dig into mom’s cooking when I visit home. Although my mom cooked mainly Chinese food – she learned to make the dishes she remembered and enjoyed herself – she did make attempts to learn about American cuisine, with her renditions of spaghetti and hamburgers and even meatloaf showing up on the dinner table. And once she realized how much we loved the birthday cakes from the local bakery, she took it upon herself to replicate them using the brightly packaged cake mixes emblazoned with images of fluffy yellow cake and thick swirls of frosting.

I used to be fascinated by the cake mix boxes (perhaps an early sign of my interest in pastry?) and would study each flavor in detail until my mom impatiently told me I had to make a choice. Although she was willing to indulge our desire for cake, she did have her maternal concerns for our health. Thus, no overly rich or gooey cakes, meaning chocolate, fudgy, or caramelly flavors were usually nixed – the most outrageous flavor we could get away with was the rainbow chip flavor with multicolored chips sprinkled throughout a white cake batter. Also, she found the two inch layers of sugary frosting entirely too sweet and (rightly) unhealthy, so our cakes were never frosted.

I’m not sure where my mom picked up the bundt pan or why she started baking all our cakes in it, but it’s what I’ve come to associate with cake making at home. Whenever we wanted a cake, she would pull out the bundt pan, we’d put the cake mix batter together and pour it in the pan, wait impatiently for it to bake, and then watch my mom unmold it and dust the top with confectioners’ sugar (her concession for the no-frosting decree).

Cakeandingredients

Those memories have left me with an eternal soft spot for bundt cakes. When I learned that November 15 is National Bundt Day,  I decided it’d been entirely too long since I’d pulled out the pan. This recipe, adapted from one of my tried and true favorites, is a rich combination of chocolate, coffee, and walnuts – a perfect fall palette, if I say so myself. It’s not too sweet (just like my mom likes it), and the mocha-nutty flavor makes a slice of this a lovely companion to a cup of coffee. It’s even better sprinkled with a bit of confectioners’ sugar (a la Mom) or a spoonful of chocolate sauce for the true chocoholic.

I also received a preview of a new, adorably-named cookbook Kiss My Bundt, by Chrysta Wilson, and didn’t have a chance to try the recipes yet, but with over 60 bundt cake recipes, including a Riesling, Honey, and Apricot Aphrodisiac cake and a Chocolate Bacon Cake, it’s definitely worth checking out! Wilson also sells her bundt cakes out of her Los Angeles shop – check out her luscious menu!

So I hope you celebrate National Bundt Day by baking up some sweet memories of your own!

 

 

Bundtcakeslices

Mocha Walnut Marbled Bundt Cake

adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

 

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup ground walnuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1/4 cup coffee

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup milk, room temperature

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 to 10 inch Bundt pan, dust inside with flour, and tap out the excess.

Whisk flour, ground walnuts, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

Combine 2 tablespoons butter, chocolate, coffee, and espresso powder in a metal bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water and stir until melted and combined. Remove from heat.

Combine remaining 2 sticks of butter and sugar in a stand mixer and beat with paddle attachment on medium speed for about 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add in vanilla extract.

Add in flour mixture and milk in five alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed after each addition just until combined.

Scrape about half of the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and mix to combine.

Pour the vanilla batter into the bottom of the bundt pan. Pour the chocolate batter on top. Use a knife to lightly marble the batter.

Bake for 65-70 minutes until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes before unmolding.

Filed Under: Cakes, Cookbooks, Recipes

Related Posts

  • Yuzu Meringue Tarts flatlayYuzu Meringue Tart
  • Key Lime Meringue Tarts
  • Eisenbahnschnitten Railroad Track Bars{Cookbook Review}: Classic German Baking and Eisenbahnschitten (Almond Cream Jam Bars)
  • Chick Egg Custard TartsChick Egg Custard Tarts for Chinese New Year
  • Daring Bakers Challenge: Gâteau St. Honoré
« A Clafouti For Chilly Days: Apples, Cranberries, and Vanilla Bean
Gingerbread Cupcakes for a Special Birthday »

Comments

  1. 1

    ac says

    Nov 13 at 2:09 pm

    Anita,
    Your bundt cake is beautiful!

    Reply
  2. 2

    Robyn says

    Nov 13 at 4:46 pm

    Super cute post. I can totally picture you, at the age of 5, staring at the boxes of cake mix at the supermarket! I grew up on cake-box bundts, too, believe it or not. . . Always the same recipe–yellow cake mix swirled with cinnamon and pecans, finished with a confectioner’s sugar glaze!

    Reply
  3. 3

    Alicia says

    Nov 13 at 9:05 pm

    That looks darn good! I must get a bundt tin!

    Reply
  4. 4

    kat says

    Nov 13 at 10:29 pm

    beautiful memories!

    Reply
  5. 5

    Maybe says

    Nov 14 at 1:50 am

    My mom would love this cake ! We don’t have cake mix in France and my mom’s not fond of baking but there are obviously certain recipes that immediately makes me think about her, like the lemon meringue pie or the rum baba… Thanks for sharing your memories !

    Reply
  6. 6

    Y says

    Nov 14 at 3:19 am

    Lovely memories 🙂 My mom never bought cake mix, so the whole concept is a bit foreign to me. But then again, she didn’t do much baking either!

    Reply
  7. 7

    Heather Peskin says

    Nov 14 at 4:55 am

    Lovely cake! I would love to try a mocha flavor. Now is the chance to use one of my bundt pans.

    Reply
  8. 8

    Gloria says

    Nov 14 at 2:38 pm

    Your bundt cake look really amazing and delicious! gloria

    Reply
  9. 9

    Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home says

    Nov 14 at 9:37 pm

    Bundt cakes always remind me of my mom too.

    I had no idea there was a National Bundt Day. I must get up to speed on baking related days!

    Reply
  10. 10

    cakebrain says

    Nov 14 at 10:22 pm

    LOL! I just love that title, “Kiss My Bundt”! Now I’ve got to go find it!
    I have a thing about bundt pans. I have been admiring quite a few different patterns and want to start a collection but they take up so much darned room in the pantry! Lovely looking pics! I have the cookbook and ought to try it out. Looks yum!

    Reply
  11. 11

    Danielle says

    Nov 15 at 11:19 am

    gorgeous cake….lovely story 🙂

    Reply
  12. 12

    dorie says

    Nov 15 at 11:23 am

    As always, everything you bake is beautiful. I’m so happy you chose one of my recipes to celebrate National Bundt Day, a day that should come at least three times a year, don’t you think?

    Reply
  13. 13

    Allison says

    Nov 15 at 7:47 pm

    I’m so sad to just be finding out about National Bundt Day now! I’ll have to mark it on my calendar for next year.

    I also have fond childhood memories of a Bundt cake that my dad used to make using yellow cake mix. Even though I have made my own spin on it and made it from scratch, the real thing still tastes just a little bit better.

    Reply
  14. 14

    morgana says

    Nov 16 at 1:31 am

    OMG. This looks absolutely delicious. I must try as soon as I can.

    Reply
  15. 15

    FORUMSGLOBE says

    Nov 16 at 2:35 am

    That looks darn good! I must get a bundt tin!

    Reply
  16. 16

    deeba says

    Nov 17 at 1:29 am

    Oh I love bundt everything & this one looks fab. Love the addition of ground walnuts in it. I think we need a bundy day at least once a month…nom nom nom. Beautiful cake!

    Reply
  17. 17

    sheba says

    Nov 19 at 9:03 pm

    is that for real..looks heavenly

    Reply
  18. 18

    catering says

    Dec 3 at 10:29 pm

    Wow! look so delicious i love it so yummy its gonna be a perfect cake on my wedding. 🙂

    winnie

    Reply
  19. 19

    pastrygirl says

    Dec 5 at 10:27 pm

    Thanks all for the sweet comments. Dorie, it was a wonderful cake and didn’t last long once my friends got their hands on it!

    Reply
  20. 20

    Anne says

    Dec 9 at 3:51 pm

    Always delicious with coffee.

    Reply
  21. 21

    Tech Blog says

    Sep 16 at 6:22 am

    Vanilla, Mocha, Walnuts – my 3 favorite things! Great look pictures 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





About Me
Mentions in the Press
Want to go to pastry school?
Email me

subscribe to receive posts in your inbox

Archives

best of dessert first


The Making of Macarons (Sucre Cuit Style)

Hong Kong Eggettes (Daan Jai)


Tis the Season (Chocolate Mint Macarons)

A Better Brioche


Consider the Humble Chocolate Chip Cookie

A Feast of Figs


Pure Dessert, Pure Inspiration (Chocolate Citrus Tart)

My Own Remembrance of Things Past: Daan Tats


The Slow Drip of Coffee on a Languorous Summer's Day

Still Life of Strawberry Tart

disclosure

This site uses affiliate links. Purchasing through the links will give this site commissions. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

about pastrygirl

Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, daughter, and dog Max. More about pastrygirl

my cookbooks



contact me

Please e-mail anita {at} dessertfirstgirl {dot} com with all collaboration inquiries, pastry questions, or just to say hi! I look forward to hearing from you!
  • home
  • my books
  • recipes
  • sweet san francisco
  • reviews
  • conversions
  • shop
  • archives
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

© 2006–2025 Anita Chu. All Rights Reserved. Design by Deluxe Designs