This Hot Cocoa Bundt Cake is the perfect treat for any hot cocoa lover out there. It's rich and chocolate-y with a fluffy, cloud like marshmallow topping. It really is like hot chocolate in bundt cake form!
This Hot Cocoa Bundt Cake is really easy to make, but looks beautiful and extra fancy because of its bundt cake design. The marshmallow topping is carefully piped along the grooves of the cake so you get a little bit of it with every slice. Any bundt cake pan that has grooves will work, but I used this bundt pan.
A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
Room Temperature Ingredients:
Butter: It’s important that the butter is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
Eggs: You also want to make sure that the eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.
Measuring Your Ingredients:
I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
Oven Temperature:
Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.
Preheat oven to 350º F. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer on medium speed and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee along with the buttermilk to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix just until it is incorporated.
Coat a 10-12 cup bundt pan that has grooves with nonstick spray and carefully pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the batter out and gently tap the pan on the counter to avoid air bubbles.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edges and center of the pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack, and carefully turning the cake out.
Once the cake is cool, stir together the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a double boiler. Continue to stir constantly until mixture reaches 160º F on a candy thermometer.
Transfer to a mixing bowl, add in the vanilla, and mix with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes followed by high speed for another 4-5 minutes until stiff peaks have formed.
Transfer the marshmallow topping to a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco 807 round piping tip or similar tip. Starting in the hole of the bundt cake, gently apply pressure to the piping bag and pipe marshmallow topping along the groove of the bundt cake until you reach the outside of it. Repeat this process until all bundt cake grooves have been filled with marshmallow. Enjoy!
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer on medium speed and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla.
Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee along with the buttermilk to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix just until it is incorporated.
Coat a 10-12 cup bundt pan that has grooves with nonstick spray and carefully pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the batter out and gently tap the pan on the counter to avoid air bubbles.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edges and center of the pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack, and carefully turning the cake out.
Marshmallow Topping
Once the cake is cool, stir together the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a double boiler. Continue to stir constantly until mixture reaches 160º F on a candy thermometer.
Transfer to a mixing bowl, add in the vanilla, and mix with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes followed by high speed for another 4-5 minutes until stiff peaks have formed.
Assembly
Transfer the marshmallow topping to a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco 807 round piping tip or similar tip.
Starting in the hole of the bundt cake, gently apply pressure to the piping bag and pipe marshmallow topping along the groove of the bundt cake until you reach the outside of it. Repeat this process until all bundt cake grooves have been filled with marshmallow. Enjoy!
Notes
I recommend waiting to make the marshmallow topping until closer to when you'll serve them as it is best when it is served fresh.
The cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and kept at room temperature for up to four days. It's best enjoyed slightly warmed, but the marshmallow topping will melt slightly.
If you don't have a round piping tip, you can cut a medium sized whole in the corner of a plastic bag.
I used this bundt pan, but any similar bundt pan with grooves will work.
Keywords: hot cocoa, hot chocolate, marshmallow, chocolate, cake, bundt cake
