For my family’s tree trimming dinner, I brought a dark chocolate Bundt cake topped with an avalanche of orange cream cheese frosting! In the winter, I crave citrus flavors because they seem to brighten the cold, gray days. The recipe for this rich, moist cake is a family favorite that was handed down by my Great Aunt Dutch. I adapted her recipe to replace the sour milk with Greek yogurt, which worked out great. The cake is so delicious that it could be eaten with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top or served plain with ice cream.
PREP
1-2 tablespoons butter
1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder
CAKE BATTER
1 cup water
½ cup (1 stick) butter
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
¾ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt (or ½ teaspoon if you use UNsalted butter)
FROSTING
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
½ teaspoon vanilla
1-1 ½ cups powdered sugar
PREP
Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Prepare your cake pan (one Bundt, one 9" round or one 8" square). Well grease the pan with butter and lightly dust with cocoa powder. Or, line with parchment paper.
CAKE BATTER
In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and sugar.
In a sauce pan, heat the water and butter until the butter melts. Pour into the cocoa/sugar mixture. Mix well.
In a small bowl, beat together the Greek yogurt, eggs and vanilla. Slowly add to the large bowl.
Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt. Combine well.
Tip the batter into the prepared cake pan.
Bake around 40 minutes. You know the cake is done when an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean.
Cool 10-15 minutes before removing the cake from the pan.
Cool completely before frosting.
FROSTING
Beat cream cheese, butter, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla until creamy.
Gradually add powdered sugar; beating after each addition. Stop adding sugar when you get the desired consistency. Use less sugar for a thinner frosting that rolls down the sides of the cake.
