Monday, February 14, 2011

Dark Chocolate & Lemon Bundt Cake


I ran across this amazing lemon bundt cake at lululuathome.  I loved the lemon syrup brushed across the surface of the cake...it just sounded so tasty.  The only thing better than a lemon cake, is a lemon cake covered in luscious dark chocolate.  It's like a win win.  This made the perfect Valentine's Day cake.  I had quite a bit of fun putting it together.

The original recipe called for sour cream, but I was out so I substituted some plain yogurt.  Mental note...make sure you have all your ingredients before you start assembling the cake...ehehehe.  Though after I baked the cake I realized I had some lemon yogurt I could have used instead of the plain...which might have added a little extra citrus zing.  Something to play with next time maybe.

I might cut the flour down a bit the next time I make this.....as I was mixing it just seemed to be a little heavy on that ingredient.


Dark Chocolate & Lemon Bundt Cake

Cake:
2 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tbls lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend
2 cups sugar
4 eggs

Cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs.  Add one cup of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the batter.  Mix in yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Mix in remaining flour.  Pour into greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done.  Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in pan before removing.

Lemon Syrup
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens.  Brush over warm cake.  Cool and chill cake.

Dark Chocolate Fudge Topping:
14oz can nonfat sweetened condensed milk
12oz dark chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
2 to 3 tbls milk

Mix together sweetened condesned milk, dark chocolate chips, and vanilla in a bowl and microwave, stirring often, until mixture is smooth and melted....it will be quite thick.  Thin the chocolate mixture with the milk.  Spoon topping over sides of cake, spreading with the back of the spoon.  Chill to set the chocolate.  Spoon some of the topping mixture into a ziplock bag with the tip cut off.  Pipe some hearts around the top of the bundt, filling in the hearts with more piped topping.  Pipe some lines in between the hearts as extra garnish.  Spoon the remaining fudge topping into the center of the bundt.

Garnish:
4oz dark chocolate candy bar

Using a vegetable peeler, shave some chocolate off the sides of the candy bar.  Sprinkle the shaved chocolate on top of the well of fudge topping in the middle of the bundt.

Melt one to two ounces of the dark chocolate and use another ziplock bag with the tip cut off to pipe some open heart shapes onto waxed paper.  Drizzle some stripes of chocolate across the hearts with a fork.  Chill to set.  Remove the hearts from the waxed paper and tuck them in the chocolate shavings.  Chill until ready to serve.

This cake made the perfect entry for Dessert Wars....February's theme is dark chocolate and hearts

The February prize package includes:


Dessert Wars

57 comments:

  1. Yum. Chocolate and citrus is one of my favorite flavor combinations. i love the addition of the little hearts!

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  2. I just ate a dark chocolate lemon truffle that was sensational, so I'd LOVE to try a slice of your cake!

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  3. You just can't go wrong with anything citrus and by combining it with chocolate it sounds downright decadent! Your chocolate glaze is beautifully done :o)

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  4. Stunning! Looks like from some fancy pasty shop! amazing!!!

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  5. The chocolate hearts are so cute - good luck with Dessert Wars!

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  6. Oh that's beautiful! Your cake sounds amazing. I love bundt cakes - so easy to assemble and decorate!

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  7. I'm sure this is as beautiful to eat as it is to look at! Can't remember if we told you, so we'll say it again, we LOVE the name of your blog, it's so evocative!

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  8. Stunning!! Thanks for sharing!

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  9. Damn, now I have to clean the drool off my keyboard...

    Seriously, looks delicious. Can't wait to try it!

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  10. What a beautiful cake! Lemon must be really refreshing with dark chocolate, I'll have to try that combo!

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  11. Whoa, amazing job with this cake. I love that it's completely covered in chocolate... and the chocolate even has more chocolate on it. It's beautiful! I so wholeheartedly wish I could have a slice of that right now.

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  12. Absolutely beautiful! I've never seen a bundt look so great, including my own. Great job.

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  13. WOW! This looks so beautiful.. a real lushcious cake...and all that chocolate...and lemon.....mmmmm...I am going into a cake coma just thinking about it!! Wonderful!

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  14. Looks and sounds delicious! Happy Valentine's Day!

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  15. This looks super fancy and neat ... happy valentines day :)

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  16. This is gorgeous!! Loving those little hearts!!

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  17. OMG... What a Chocoly-Cute-Cake(bundt).. the heart decor seems pretty and ..Happy V-day! ^_^
    ~C1tr4~

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  18. I could just stick a fork in this cake and go to town! YUM! I dodn't think I would have much self-control around this thing!! Great job!

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  19. Another gorgeous Bundt cake!!! Wow, you have a real knack with decorating...truly beautiful! I think my family would have liked frosting on the Bundt cake I made~mmmmmmmm. Happy V-Day to you :)

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  20. Beautiful cake!I love it!
    Happy Valentine's Day!

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  21. *Mouth Waters...* This looks delicious! Perfect Valentines Dessert! Yum!

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  22. Oh, it sounds lovely with the citrus/dark chocolate combo and it's so pretty!

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  23. This is a beautiful cake! Way to go on the outer layer! The hearts are awesome!

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  24. This is just gorgeous! I love the heart designs...so perfect for valentines day! :) Yummy!

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  25. Winner Winner chicken dinner! Absolutely gorgeous.

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  26. Oh my God this is divine...cant believe that its home made.....seems so stunning!!!

    You are just the Winner....you rock!!!

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  27. OMG, any next of your cakes looks more and more amazing!!! This one is FABULOUS!!!

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  28. I agree totally, every cake is much better covered in chocolate :) In picture it looks gorgeous, didnt you feel sorry cutting it ? :)

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  29. Hey, I've awarded you the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers award. :) You can see the details on my blog http://www.ryanbakes.com/2011/02/its-major-award-name-that-movie.html

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  30. Oh that cake is so pretty! Love the touch of those heart designs, too.

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  31. What a beautiful cake! I bet it is delicious too! Hope you had a great Valentine's Day.

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  32. As I have already said, stunning cake. Because I love seeing your creations I wanted to pass along this stylish blogger award to you. Redeem it here: http://sprinklesofflavor.blogspot.com/2011/02/french-breakfast-puffs-aka-baked.html

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  33. Wow! This is one amazing, and gorgeous decadent bundt cake. Love the elegant fudge topping. Looks more like a ganache, so beuatifully decorated! Would love to have a slice of that!

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  34. This really is a stunning cake. The flavors you have combined here are really wonderful. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  35. I would never think to mix chocolate and lemon, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't try it! Your cake looks gorgeous!

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  36. Such a beautiful cake with the little hearts you've added! I liked your mental note about making sure having all the ingredients...it happens to all of us - good girl that you had plain yogurt on hand for the sub. ;) Beautiful cake and hope you had a lovely Valentine's ;)

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  37. gorgeous cake -- I love the chocolate on chocolate decorations! Theresa

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  38. Chocolate and citrus is a winner in my book and I love how you decorated this! Hope you had a lovely V Day with your sweetheart :)

    And best of luck with Dessert Wars - awesome prizes!

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  39. Love lemon zingy cake, and with chocolate. Hope it was a great V day

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  40. Yum, I would never have thought to pair a lemon cake with chocolate. But, I imagine this must be like eating those delicious lemon truffle chocolates, which I love.

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  41. I can't believe I missed this. I have to make this. Have to.

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  42. I can't stop thinking about taking a knife to that cake. I think it would be a pleasure to slice into that thing. Sounds delicious.

    http://agirlinherkitchen.blogspot.com

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  43. Wonderful combination with the dark chocolate and lemons! Your cake is beautiful and looks so perfect.

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  44. My favorite line of this post: "The only thing better than a lemon cake, is a lemon cake covered in luscious dark chocolate." I couldn't agree more!!! :D

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  45. Ah I love the chocolate hearts on top. This looks absolutely perfect. I've never had lemon and chocolate together, but I'm sure the flavors marry beautifully. Good luck in Dessert Wars! Wish I had time to participate this month.

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  46. I don't know why but I never would have thought of putting chocolate on a lemon cake!? It sounds really interesting, and I LOVE the way you decorated it!

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  47. Great job....All I see is chocolate so it makes me happy!
    Christina.

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  48. Lovely cake. A wonderful way to combine dark chocolate and lemon. The piped hearts are so sweet!

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  49. I never had lemon and chocolate together! I'm intrigued now and want to try it. Your cake is real pretty! Thanks for entering Dessert Wars.

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