Yes, I’ve been told there are daffodils open somewhere, but I dare not believe it. Or maybe I just don’t want to hear it. Here’s my answer to the late-winter blues: chocolate “Tunnel of Fudge” cake. Deep chocolate goodness.

Some time ago, my mother gave me a copy of “Best Ever Recipes” by the folks at America’s Test Kitchen. It holds 100 recipes of fare as common as drop biscuits to entreés as  uncommon as homemade Chicken Tikka Masala. I knew these recipes would be good, but I had to be truly inspired to actually make something outside of my routine these days. Sometimes extremity brings on inspiration.

Here’s the recipe. Enjoy.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake (serves 12)
Cake:
3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting pan
1/2 cup boiling water
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups pecans or walnuts, chopped very fine
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp salt
5 large eggs at room temperature
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
20 Tbs (2 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

Chocolate Glaze:
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup corn syrup
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
(Note: This made twice as much as was needed. I would halve this part next time.)

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat to 350º. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder. Pour boiling water over chopped chocolate in a small bowl and whisk till smooth. Cool. In a large bowl, whisk cocoa powder, flour, nuts, confectioner’s sugar, and salt. In a large measuring cup, beat eggs and vanilla.

2. With a hand-held mixer, beat the granulate sugar,brown sugar, and butter at medium speed till fluffy (2 minutes). On low speed, add egg mixture and mix for 30 seconds. Add chocolate mixture and mix 30 seconds. Add flour mixture just until combined. (Batter will be thick.)

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth, and bake until edges begin to pull away from pan, 45 minutes. Cool 90 minutes in pan, then invert onto a serving plate and cool 2 hours. (Don’t cut this cake while warm!)

4. For the glaze: Cook the cream, corn syrup and chocolate over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over cooled cake and let set 10 minutes. Serve. (With milk.)