Black Forest Chocolate Fudge Cake

This takes the cherry-and-chocolate magic of a Black Forest cake and bakes it into an easygoing bundt, no layers or whipped cream to fuss with. A ribbon of dark sweet cherries and toasted walnuts runs through the middle, and a simple dusting of powdered sugar finishes it off.

The clever trick is the prune puree, which stands in for most of the fat. Don’t let that scare you off; in a deeply chocolate cake it’s undetectable, and it keeps the crumb remarkably moist and fudgy.

There’s coffee in here too, but you won’t taste it as coffee. Espresso powder dissolved in boiling water blooms the cocoa and pushes the chocolate flavor deeper and darker.

Layering the cherries and walnuts between two pours of batter keeps them suspended through the cake instead of sinking to the bottom. Mix the batter just until blended for a tender crumb.

Chef Tips

• Mix only until the batter just comes together; overmixing develops gluten and toughens the cake.
• Bloom the cocoa with the hot espresso water as directed; it deepens the chocolate flavor noticeably.
• Drain the thawed cherries well so excess juice doesn’t make the cake gummy.
• Cool in the pan 15 minutes before inverting, so the bundt releases cleanly without breaking.

Variations

• Soak the cherries in kirsch or brandy first for a boozy, traditional Black Forest note.
• Drizzle with chocolate ganache instead of powdered sugar for a richer finish.
• Swap the walnuts for toasted hazelnuts or almonds, or leave them out for a nut-free cake.