Tripple Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake

I wish there were more occasions for  bakeing cakes.  I really enjoy doing it.  Simon and I just would not be able to eat an entire cake alone, despite, what would be, our best efforts, and most of it would  to end up going to waste. So anytime there is a party or get together where cake is appropriate, I volunteer.  And then the hunt for the perfect recipe begins.

Ever since Pinterest came along, I have a healthy stockpile of recipes waiting to be tried. One such recipe I have been excited to bake (and taste) I saw on the cover of  Southern Living Magazine a few months back: "Tripple Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake".  It looked like chocolate paradise so, I had to try it at my next opportunity. 

I took it to an "our job is done" dinner for our minister search committee, and several people asked me for the recipe.  So, here it is:

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose cake flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp table salt

1 1/2 cups butter, softened to room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar 

5 large eggs, at room temperature 

1 1/4 cups buttermilk 

2 teaspoons instant espresso 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate morsels 

Shortening 

CHOCOLATE GLAZE 

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels 

3 tablespoons butter 

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

BUTTERMILK GLAZE 

1 cup powdered sugar 
1 to 2 Tbsp. buttermilk 
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.  Using shortening, grease and flour  a 12-cup bundt pan. 

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. 

Beat 1 1/2 cups butter in a medium bowl at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy. 

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yolk disappears. 

Combine 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, espresso and vanilla.  Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat at a low speed after each addition. Fold in bittersweet chocolate morsels. Pour batter into a well-greased pan. Sharply tap pan on the counter to remove air bubbles

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack.

 Prepare glazes:

Chocolate Glaze: 

Combine semisweet chocolate morsels, 3 Tbsp butter, and 1 Tbsp corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on MEDIUM power (50% power) for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until morsels begin to melt, stirring after 1 minute.  Stir until smooth.  Stir in 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

 Buttermilk Glaze: 
Whisk together powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. buttermilk, and 1/4 tsp vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Add up to 1 Tbsp buttermilk, if desired. 

Drizzle warm glazes over cooled cake.