Winner: Chocolate-Coconut and Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake

A couple of months ago, I saw a recipe contest online sponsored by Nordic Ware.  If you aren’t familiar, Nordic Ware is famous for making Bundt pans and other bakeware.

Each year they hold  a competition titled “Bundts Across America,” which highlights the best bundt cake recipes. So of course, I just had to enter!  There are six monthly contests, which lead up to the grand prize winner announced on November 15th in honor of National Bundt Day.

My dad used to always make chocolate cake with coconut when I was younger.  It was his version of ‘German Chocolate Cake’.  I wanted to combine my heritage with the tradition of baking pumpkin around fall and the holidays.  I knew that pumpkin went well with chocolate, so I combined the two into a moist, luxurious cake.  The flavors blend perfectly together!

I received an email from Nordic Ware informing me that I was the September monthly winner!

I want to share the recipe with all of you because not only is this cake perfect for Fall baking, but it’s also incredibly delicious!  I’ve posted more pictures of the cake and the recipe here.

Chocolate-Coconut and Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake

By Monique of Ambitious Kitchen

Nonstick baking spray, for pan

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 teaspoon salt, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder, divided

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1- 6 oz bar dark chocolate

1- 15 oz can of pumpkin

2/3 cup of milk

2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Glaze

6 oz dark chocolate

2 tsp of milk

1/3 cup toasted coconut

Baking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray 12 cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray and dust with flour.

Divide dry ingredients into two separate medium bowls putting 1 1/4 cup of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking soda into each bowl.

In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.

Make each cake batter by pouring half of the butter/sugar mixture into the two separate bowls of flour.  Mix both bowls until well combined and creamy.  One will be for chocolate-coconut cake mix and one is for the pumpkin cake.

For the chocolate & coconut batter: Put 6 oz of chocolate in small bowl and microwave in 30 seconds increments or until melted.  Cool for a few minutes and add to one of the cake batter bowls.  Then add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of flaked coconut.  Mix and set aside.

For the pumpkin batter: Add 1 can of pumpkin and the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to the other butter/flour batter. Mix together until well combined.

Spoon half the pumpkin batter into the 12-cup bundt-cake pan. Drop the chocolate batter by spoonfuls over the pumpkin batter. Swirl a couple times with a butter knife. Repeat to spoon remaining pumpkin and chocolate batters into pan.  Swirl again about 10 times back and forth all over the pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.  Cool cake 10 minutes before turning it on a rack, then let cool completely.

Next put the other 6 oz of dark chocolate in a small microwave bowl with 2 tsp of milk. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.  Spoon the chocolate glaze over the cake and top with toasted coconut. Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before serving.

Transfer the cake to a platter or serving dish and slice into 12 pieces.

Keep cake covered for up to 3 days.  Cake will remain moist.