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Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Sibby Barrett

Tunnel of Fudge Cake with Hazelnuts

Anyone who grew up in the sixties should remember this cake fondly. The Tunnel of Fudge Cake was a Pillsbury bake-off winner which used two Pillsbury products, a cake mix and a frosting mix--the latter of which is no longer available. This cake launched the Bundt pan craze--hardly anyone had this pan and everyone had to have one after the recipe was released. Ironically this recipe was just a runner up that year, a bread called Golden Gate Snack Bread won first place! It's made with a jar of "cheese" and an envelope of soup mix. Ah, you gotta love the sixties! 1966 to be exact--oh and the woman who submitted the recipe was from Texas, of course!
 
I was pretty excited to see a from scratch version which uses hazelnuts instead of pecans in Food and Wine magazine. It lived up to all of my childhood memories of this wonderful chocolaty, rich cake. Enjoy
Tunnel of Fudge Cake with Hazelnuts
Adapted from Food and Wine
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings: 14 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened, high quality Dutch process cocoa powder plus some for dusting pan
  • 2 cups hazelnuts skinned
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups butter cut into 1/2" dice, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Equipment

  • bundt pan
  • mixer

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350º.  Generously grease a 10" Bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder.  Spread the hazelnuts on a sheet pan and toast for 10 minutes.  Let cool and then process until finely chopped and slightly powdery.  Transfer ground hazelnuts to a medium bowl and whisk in the flour and salt.  Sift the 2 cups of powdered sugar into another medium bowl with the 3/4 cup cocoa.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down the bowl, reduce speed to low and beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just incorporated.  Add the vegetable oil and the vanilla and stir to blend.  Add the cocoa mixture and beat until incorporated.  Using a spatula, gently fold in the hazelnut mixture until no streaks remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until it starts pulling away from the side of the pan and the top just springs back when touched. The center should still be soft.  Let the cake cool on a rack for at least 2 hours; it may crack slightly. Invert cake onto a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar. Serve at room temperature.
     

Notes

Really, really leave it alone to rest, it will crack.  Mine cracked a lot!