Tunnel of Fudge Cake

This decadent chocolate cake was THE chocolate cake the 1960's. It "made" the Bundt pan. Shirley Corriher felt it could be improved so went to work on it. The result..."You can go crazy over this cake. My husband and I ate a whole cake in three days!" says Shirley.

The original recipe was on the label of Pillsbury's fudge icing after it won an award in the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off. When Pillsbury stopped making the icing, angry home cooks bombarded them: "You can't do this. The Tunnel of Fudge is my signature cake." So Pillsbury had to publish a recipe for the famous cake using ingredients available to home cooks. Shirley found that the recipe had many problems, so she revamped it considerably. The New York Times (Dec. 20, 2004) featured Shirley's cake on the front page of the Science section, where she explained each change she made and why. She substituted 2 yolks for 1 of the eggs and substituted oil for part of the butter to make the cake moister. She also substituted dark brown sugar for some of the sugar to give the cake even fudgier flavors. The roasted nuts are really important. Without them, the cake seems ordinary, but with them, it's fantastic.

Important Notes:

1. Brown sugar makes chocolate taste fudgy.
2. With this extreme about of sugar the cake does not fully cook, thus creating the "tunnel of fudge" in the center.
3. The roasted nuts make this cake. Don't leave them out.

Here is Shirley's recipe as stated in her absolutely wonderful book "BakeWise"
This is a must have book for the serious baker.

"BakeWise"

Yield: 1 12-cup Bundt Cake

• 2 1/2 cups walnut pieces or mixed walnuts and pecans
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in 2-Tablespoon pieces, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup natural cocoa powder *
  
• 4 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups spooned and leveled bleached all-purpose flour
• Confectioners' sugar, to garnish, or Rum Drizzle (recipe follows), optional

1. Arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven, place a baking stone on it, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. On a large baking sheet, roast the nuts for 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl, add 2 Tablespoons of the butter and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and toss well. When cool, coarsely chop and set aside.
3. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
4. With a mixer, beat the remaining 1 1/4 cups butter to soften and get to the fluffy stage. Add the granulated sugar, then the brown sugar, and continue to beat until light and airy. While beating, feel the bowl; if it does not feel cool, place it in the freezer for 5 minutes, and then continue beating.
5. Beat in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and vanilla. Blend in the oil and egg yolks.
6. By hand, stir in the confectioners' sugar , then the cocoa powder.
7. By hand, one at a time, stir the eggs into the batter, with minimum stirring just to blend them into the batter well.
8. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and roasted chopped nuts. Fold the flour-nut mixture into the batter and pour into the prepared pan. (Atlanta wine expert Gil Kulers, who makes this cake frequently, heats the empty pan for about 5 minutes just before he pours in the batter. This ensures that he gets a good 3/4 inch of well-set cake to hold the fudge center.)
9. Bake for 45 minutes. You can't use the toothpick test for doneness because this cake has so much sugar that the cent is not going to set, but remains a (tunnel of fudge" in the center. You are totally dependent on the correct oven temperature of 350 degrees F and the 45-minute cooking time.
10. When you remove the cake from the oven, you can't see it but it will have a runny fudge core with an air pocket above the fudge. This air pocket is not desirable and will become a hole under the fudge when the cake is chilled. To minimize this air pocket, about 20 minutes after you take the cake out of the oven, while still in the pan, press the inside and outside edges of the cake bottom down all the way around. This will press the whole bottom down and reduce the air pocket. Leave the cake in the pan until completely cooled. I cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 2-3 hours. This is very important. With a thin knife, loosen the cake around the edges. Place a platter on top of the pan and invert.
11. Cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar or drizzle with Rum Drizzle to garnish. I love this cake at room temperature or cold. At room temperature, the fudge is runny. When cold, the fudge center become firm, like a piece of fudge with nuts.
    

Rum Drizzle

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon rum or brandy *
  
• About 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  

Stir together the sugar, vanilla, and rum. Add the cream to get to a consistency that will give you a tick drizzle.

* Soon to be available at FoodieAffair.com

Cherry-Chambord Butter

Source: Shirley Corriher
Yield: 1 1/2 cups

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 8 ozs cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord *
  
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 Tablespoons good quality cherry preserves

1. Place butter, cream cheese, liqueur, and confectioners' sugar in the work bowl of a food processor, fitted with the steel blade. Process to blend well. Stir in preserves by hand.
2. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Butter keeps well in refrigerator for several weeks in a closed jar.

*RESOURCES:
Raspberry Liqueur - FoodieAffair.com

Cream Cheese Icing

Recipe Source: Shirley Corriher
Yield: 3 cups

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 2-Tablespoon size pieces
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier *
  

1. In large mixing bowl, beat butter until soft.
2. Add cream cheese and beat until blended and smooth.
3. Blend in confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and orange-flavored liqueur.
4. Refrigerate until ready to use.

*RESOURCES:
Orange-flavored Liqueur - FoodieAffair.com

Carrot Cake

Recipe Source: Shirley Corriher

Yield: 1 (4-layer) 8-inch round cake
Prep: 45 min.
Bake: 35 min.
Cool: 1 hour

• 2 cups walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 tsp salt, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 1/3 cups self-rising flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp ground Saigon cinnamon *
  
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
• 1/2 tsp allspice, optional
• 1 Tablespoons orange zest
• 3 lg eggs
• 2 lg egg yolks
• 2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 3 cups very finely grated carrots, approx. 6 carrots (food processor is recommended)
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Icing (recipe in this collection)

1. Arrange shelf in lower third of oven and place baking stone on it. Preheat to 350F.
2. Spread nuts on a baking sheet, place in oven on the stone, and roast for 10-12 min. While nuts are hot, stir in 2 Tablespoons butter and 1/3 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
3. Spray 2 8-inch round (2" high) cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment circle. Spray paper very lightly.
4. Combine flour, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest. Beat well at medium speed with electric mixer.
5. In another bowl, stir together whole eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar. Then, add oil, vanilla, and orange juice, stirring to combine.
6. Make a hole in center of flour mixture and add egg mixture, a little at a time, stirring by hand. Add carrots and roasted nuts.
7. Pour batter into prepared pans. Spoon batter from one pan to the other until batter is dived equally. Drop pans, one at a time, onto the counter from a height of 4 inches to knock out large air bubbles.
8. Place both pans in oven on stone. Bake for approx. 30-35 min., or until the center springs back when touched. Ideally, cake should not pull away from sides until it has just come out of oven. The center temp should read approx. 209F.
9. Cool cakes on cooling rack for approx 10 minutes. Shake pan to loosen cake all around.
10. Spray cooling rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place rack, sprayed side down, on top of the cake and invert. Let cool completely.
11. When completely cooled, slice each layer on half horizontally, creating four layers.
    
12. Divide icing in half. Reserve 1 half to ice top and sides. Divide remaining half into thirds. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake plate or serving dish and spread with 1/3 of icing. Place another layer on top of icing, cut side up, and spread with another third. Place third layer on top, cut side up, and spread with remaining third. Place top layer on, cut side down. Ice top and sides with reserved icing.

*RESOURCES:
Saigon Cinnamon - FoodieAffair.com

Lava Cookies by Shirley Corriher

Photo Source: CakeSpy.com

Yield: 16 cookies
Prep: 30 min
Refrigerate: 30 min
Bake: 12 min

• 1 1/2 cups pecans or walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips *
  
• 2 lg eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract *
  
• 1 cup bleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Arrange a shelf in the middle of the oven and place a baking stone on it. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Spread nuts on a baking sheet, place in the oven on the stone, and roast for 10-12 min. While nuts are hot, stir in 2 Tablespoons butter. Set aside.
3. Turn oven up to 375F. Spray several heavy baking sheets with nonstick spray and line with release foil (nonstick side up). Set aside.
4. In medium saucepan, melt remaining 6 Tablespoons butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand for 1 min., and then stir. If all chocolate is not melted, place pan on very low heat for 1 min, remove, and stir. Let stand for 1 min, remove, and stir. Let stand for 1 min. and continue stirring. Repeat until all chocolate is melted. Set aside.
5. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla at high speed with an electric mixer for 2-3 min, or until light and pale yellow. Turn mixer down to low and pour in chocolate.
6. In medium mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder, beating well with electric mixer. Stir flour into batter in several batches. Scrape down bowl and across bottom. Stir in roasted nuts.
7. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 min. Using a 2-inch (#30) ice cream scoop, scoop dough place portions approx. 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time.
8. Place baking sheet in oven on stone. Bake for exactly 12 min. Cool for 3-5 min. Best served warm, but you can reheat each cookie in the microwave for 10 seconds for running centers.
   

You can freeze cookies and thaw or microwave as you like.
*RESOURCES:
Chocolate Chips - FoodieAffair.com
Vanilla Extract - FoodieAffair.com

Pecan Macaroons

Recipe Source: Shirley Corriher
Yield: About 40 cookies

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 7 cups (24.4 oz/692 g) pecans
• 1 Tablespoon (0.4 oz/11 g) granulated sugar, divided
  
• 2 cups (15.4 oz/437 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
• 2 large egg whites 2 oz/57 g)
  
• 3 drops honey

1. Arrange a shelf in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees/163 C. Line a baking sheet with Release foil (nonstick side up), or parchment sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a food processor with the steel blad, process the pecans in three batches with 1 teaspoon (0.15 oz/4g) of the granulated sugar in each batch. You want to get the pecans finely ground but not to a powder or a butter. Measure out 6 cups (21 oz/593 g) ground pecans and place in a mixing bowl.
3. Add the brown sugar, salt, egg whites, and honey. With clean hands, work the ingredients into an evenly mixed dough. Shape dough into small (about 1-inch/2.5-cm) balls and place on the baking sheet Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. Place in the oven on the arranged shelf and bake for 20 minutes, until set. Allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. When completely cooled, seal in a cookie tin or heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. These cookies will keep well for months and are better made several weeks ahead.

Fudgy Brownies

Recipe Source: Shirley Corriher
Yield: One 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23-cm) pan, about 24 pieces

• 1 1/2 cups (5.2 oz/149 g) pecans
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons (13 oz/369 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-Tablespoon (0.5-oz/14-g) pieces, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 12 ounces (339 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped *
  
• 1 ounce (28 g) German's Sweet Chocolate *
• 4 large eggs (7 oz/198 g)
• 3 large egg yolks (1.95 oz/55 g)
• 1 1/2 cups (12.6 oz/375 g) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup (4 oz/120 g) confectioners' sugar
• 2 Tablespoons (0.9 oz/2.5 g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract *
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.5 g) salt
• 1 1/2 cups (6.6 oz/187 g) spooned and leveled bleached all-purpose flour

1. Arrange a shelf in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 F/149 C.
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. While the nuts are hot, stir in 2 Tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) of the butter. When cool, coarsely chop and set aside.
3. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch (33 x 23 x 5-cm) pan with parchment sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or Release foil (nonstick side up), allowing overhand on both long sides to make removal easier.
4. Place the remaining 1 1/2 cups (12 oz/340 g) butter around the edge of a microwave-safe glass bowl. Place the semisweet and sweet chocolate in the center. Melt the butter and the chocolate in the microwave on 100% power for 1 minute, stirring at least 2 times, and then 15 seconds more, stirring 1 time. Or, place the chocolates and butter together in a stainless steel bowl. In a large skillet, bring water to a simmer. Set aside until the water is no longer steaming. Place the bowl of chocolate and butter in the hot water, being careful not to get water or steam into the chocolate. Stir the chocolate every few minutes until melted.
5. In a large bowl, heat the eggs with a fork just to blend whites and yolks. With a minimum of hand stirring, stir together the eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt.
6. By hand, with a minimum of stirring, stir together the egg mixture and the chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out. Soak cake strips in water and wrap around the outside edge of the pan as directed.
7. Place the pan on the arranged shelf and bake until brownies just begin to pull away from the edge of the pan, about 1 hour. Err on the side of under cooking rather than risk drying out the brownies. A toothpick inserted should come out wet with gooey chocolate.
8. Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Remove the brownies from the pan, using the parchment or foil overhang to help lift out the brownies. When completely cool, wrap the brownies well with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
9. Place the brownies on a cutting board and remove the parchment or foil. Place another cutting board on top and turn over so that the brownies are right side up. Trim the edges and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) squares. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store refrigerated.

*RESOURCES:
Semisweet Chocolate - FoodieAffair.com
German's Sweet Chocolate - FoodieAffair.com
Pure Vanilla Extract - FoodieAffair.com

Wedding Cookies

Recipe Source: Shirley Corriher
These snow-white, delicate cookies are sweet, nutty morsels of delight. They fall apart in your mouth.

Yield: 4 dozen

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup (8 oz/227 g) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups (10 oz/286 g) confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract *
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) water
• 2 cups (9oz 255 g) spooned and leveled all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon (15 g) salt
• 3/4 cup (29 oz/82 g) finely chopped pecans

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees/163 C.
2. Cover a baking sheet with Release foil (nonstick side up), or parchment sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) of the confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, sprinkle the water over the flour and stir, then stir in the salt. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in several batches and beat on the lowest speed just to blend in. When all the flour is added, add the pecans and blend in.
5. Roll the dough into balls about eh size of a walnut and place on the baking sheet about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Bake until set but not browned, about 20 minutes.
6. While the cookies are warm, lift them with a spatula, one at a time, into a large mixing bowl with the remaining 2 cups 98 oz/227 g) confectioners' sugar. Gently roll them in the confectioners' sugar several times to coat generously, then place on a rack to cool. Re roll once again in confectioners' sugar before storing in an airtight container.

*RESOURCES:
Pure Vanilla Extract - FoodieAffair.com