Chocolate Cream Cheese Tunnel Cake
A chocolate cake mix Bundt cake with a tunnel of chocolate cheesecake running through it.
Servings 12 slices
Cost 5
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (such as Kirkland brand) (170 grams)
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened (228 grams)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (25 grams)
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (40 grams)
- 1 large egg, make sure it's room temperature
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream (14 grams)
Cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Devil's Food) (15.25 oz)
- 1 cup cold coffee (228 grams)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts or broken cookies** (optional)
Ganache
- ½ cup heavy cream (114 grams)
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, slightly heaping (84 grams) -- you can add more if you want
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan with butter and dust with flour or unsweetened cocoa powder. You could also just spray it with flour-added baking spray.
- Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 30 seconds and stir until chips begin to melt. Repeat until chips are completely melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Cut the cream cheese into 4 large chunks and put it in a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Soften it by heating at 50% power in 30 second intervals.
- Beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar and corn syrup until smooth, then beat in the room temperature egg. Once smooth, stir in the melted chocolate and the cream. Set aside.
- Combine the cake mix, coffee, oil, and eggs in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture in a ring over the batter, keeping it away from the sides and center of the pan. Sprinkle nuts over the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 38 minutes or until top springs back when pressed lightly in the center and cake is has cracks.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then invert onto a flat surface. I like to use a small cutting board covered with a piece of foil.
- Let the cake cool out of the pan for about 30 minutes, then make the ganache. Heat the cream in a saucepan or in the microwave until it just starts to boil, then add the chocolate chips. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool and thicken slightly before you spoon it on. Spoon it over the cake, letting it drip down the sides and into the center.
- Transfer the whole cake to the refrigerator and allow it to cool completely and chill slightly or just let it cool at room temperature. I think it's best served at cool room temperature.
Notes
The walnuts were a nod to the original Tunnel of Fudge. They add a little texture. However, sine this is a chocolate cheesecake themed cake you can leave them out completely or for texture, try sprinkling some broken Oreos or cookies in place of the nuts.