Calling all bakers - Bundt Disaster - HELP!!!

[Lys]

Hey all... I am hoping that some of you can help... I just made the Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake from Barefoot Contessa... it smelled WONDERFUL... alas, when I tried to invert the cake out of the pan, the whole thing fell apart!!! What did I do wrong?? My bundt pan is fairly new (it's a Nordicware)... I greased the pan (I used butter though - I am wondering if this was my mistake?) and let the cake sit for about 20 - 25 minutes after coming out of the oven... any suggestions on what to do different?

If not, any suggestions on what to do with an Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake that is now literally in chunks??? (it does still taste great though :) ) Thanks in advance for any suggestions...

[Leisa M]

Did the recipe ask you to grease and flour the pan?

Did you run a knif or spatula around the edges before you inverted the cake?

[Middydd]

My guess is that you should have let the cake set longer before taking it out of the pan. I find cakes with chocolate chunks or chips in them (either white or regular) need to set up longer in the pan before they come out cleanly.

I guess the chocolate stays liquid while it's hot and needs to cool to keep the cake together.

[Middydd]

I would have let it cool for an hour before trying to get it out.

I don't think the butter was the problem but I have really good luck with a product called "Cake Release". I get it at the bulk store.

[MaryH]

Did you run a knife along the inside part? While the outside may have been willing to come off, you have to loosen the inside. Also, I usually let mine sit for 10 minutes. I don't think the extra time had much to do with it, unless the chocolate seeped through to the sides and was sticking.

[Betty Spaghetty]

Hi Lys, I AM NEW, but just wanted to add my thoughts to your cake accident, I would have used anything, but butter. I am thinking that
was your culprit, plus maybe not using the knife all the way around
the outside and inside of the bundt pan. You know I feel letting it
set up for a long time, may contribute to the sticking problem. Chocolate chips are going to melt, then stick as they cool. Ten minutes would have been fine, after inverting your platter over the
cake, I would have flipped this over quickly and gave it a tiny peep
to see if it was sticking, if so, flipped it back over. Usually the
cake will come on out, if it has been loosen sufficiently. I am sorry,
I just read some of the other replies and I see my answer is directly opposed of others. Now, that should tell you, everyone has their own
way of doing things. No offense to any of you.

[cher48603]

The directions say to let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Maybe it did cool for too long.

Betty: You will find many different opinions on the board. That's part of what makes it so great. Welcome!!

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake
Ingredients
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup grated orange zest (4 large oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups good quality semisweet chocolate chunks

FOR THE SYRUP
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

FOR THE GANACHE
8 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.

Sift together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures, alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Toss the chocolate chunks with 2 tablespoons flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cake form the pan, set it on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over top of the cake.

Notes
This luscious combination of tart, citrusy orange with sweet chocolate has been a huge hit at the Barefoot Contessa.

This recipe is reprinted from Barefoot Contessa Parties!, with permission from Random House, New York.

[valchemist]

I actually thought your reply made good sense, Betty. Welcome!!

Thanks for posting that recipe, cher. It looks delicious.

Alyssa, I am sure the cake still tastes fabulous. just spoon it into a bowl and enjoy!

[Lys]

Thanks for all the feedback ladies, I really appreciate it. I did run a knife around the pan (around the center as well)and I floured the pan as well... I am thinking I either let it set too long or I should have gone with good ol' crisco to grease the pan (I have used spray in the past but I find that it leaves an icky residue on the pan and is a pain to clean!) Anywho, it does still taste good and my DH wants me to make a trifle of some sort with it, so I guess all is not lost :) It is a wee bit frustrating though - the picture looks so darn good!!!!

[little_bopeep]

I'm sure all bakers do this, but I'll go ahead and mention it anyway. When I go to turn a cake out of its pan, I always loosen all around with the knife, and then I bounce the pan up and down gently to make sure the cake is ready to exit. If I get it loose on all sides and it bounces freely, THEN I try to invert it. That way, I don't rip a corner or something off. However, it doesn't preclude the cake from sticking someplace and tearing away when I bounce it. :rolleyes:

[Betty Spaghetty]

:D Cher- Thanks for the welcome and the printing of delicious cake
recipe, Valchemisht thank you for saying what I said made sense (how
refreshing to hear) and the welcome! Lys, glad you are going to enjoy
that cake anyways, making good eating of it, little_bopeep, liked you
idea about bouncing the cake in the pan, will be trying this one,
hoping nothing is sticking, as I am bouncing.

[jm1717]

I always use Crisco to grease my cake pans. I think it works the best. Also, I agree with those of you who said the sticking was due to the cake sitting in the pan too long. I would have let it cool only 10 min. like the recipe said. Thanks for posting the recipe, sounds yummy! I love chocolate and orange.

Joan

[HRJ]

For what it's worth, here's a thread from a while back about getting a cake out of a bundt pan:

http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19713&highlight=bundt+honey+cake


Maybe there are some tips there that would also help.

Helene

[Leisa M]

I will have to try the bouncing of the cake pan myself next time. I usually have trouble getting it loose from the center, not the outside.

Enjoy your cake anyway.

Welcome Betty. I told youthis was a great place.:)

[madpots]

We used to put a damp tea towel on the bottom of our layer cake pans. I have tried this with my bundt pan and it still seems to work.

[Sarah]

This is a little OT, but I made this for a work potluck on Friday, and people loved it!! I love citrus and chocolate, and this was wonderful.
Thanks for posting cher!

Sarah

[valchemist]

not OT at all. I was hoping someone would post a review. :)

I think I would love the cake, but I know DH wouldn't go for it, so I can't make it. My mom was eyeing the recipe, though. Maybe she will make it and I can sneak a piece.

[JoanneOR]

Well, I've heard that the crumbs and broken pieces of cookies don't have any calories. If the same is true for cake, then you can eat it guilt free! :) :) :)

[semmens]

I figured I'd post on this thread even though my cake turned out just fine. ;)

I used Pam on my teflon Bundt and waited exactly 10 minutes before flipping it out. I did probably rush the ganache (the cake wasn't cooled all the way) but I got no complaints. I personally thought the cake was better after a day, especially with a glass of milk. :)

Not sure the instant coffee was really necessary in the ganache; I might omit it next time. I used the Nestle super chunks for both the cake and the ganache but I think that the Hershey's Special Dark would be a better choice for the ganache.

Laura