CHOCOLATE SPICE CAKE

Chocolate Spice Cake image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Yield Makes 1 eight-inch bundt cake

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a six-cup Bundt pan, and set aside. Place the grated ginger, water, cranberries, and raisins in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground ginger. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and sour cream in alternate small batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture; beat just until combined. Fold in dried fruit mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Place cake on a cake plate or serving platter, and tuck pieces of waxed paper under the edges of the cake to keep the plate clean. Apply a thick coating of chocolate fudge frosting to cake, using a small offset or rubber spatula. Remove waxed paper before serving.