Love is in the air! And my pretty bundt pan beckons... and I had this showstopper of a cake planned for this Valentine's Day and oh my! so delighted that this turned out pretty and perfect.
Ruby chocolate is a 'newly discovered' chocolate, and it isn't just white chocolate with berries in it. It is naturally pink, with natural fruity undertones, and it is lovely!
When ruby chocolate premiered in 2017, I was immediately drawn to not just the colour, but the bright berry notes of this 'new' chocolate. All of a sudden, I discovered my lunch-time chocolate treat. This midday chocolate treat wasn't too heavy, (I'm otherwise an all dark chocolate addict), wasn't too rich, and had just the right amount of fruitiness to cut through the sweet. Yes ... totally a lunch time dessert! Wouldn't you agree?
And now that I have a 'commercial' bag of Callebaut's ruby callets, you can be sure I'm going to have a 'strawberry field' day making all the lovely treats for this pink time of the year.
This ruby chocolate bundt cake turned out soft and springy, with a beautiful tender texture and an ever-so-slight crisp exterior (read on to see how it's done). And although ruby chocolate doesn't lend baked goods its pretty hue, you can definitely taste the fruity chocolaty goodness. Fortunately, it keeps its colour when just warmed to make the ganache, but I amped it up anyway with a touch of beet powder just to make the pink pop.
Ingredients:
Ruby bundt cake:
1 tbsp butter (for the pan)
2 tbsp sugar (to coat the pan)
115 g (4 oz.) Callebaut ruby chocolate callets, melted
375 g (3 cups) all purpose flour
2 tsp beet powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
300 g (1-1/2 cups) granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 large eggs, at room temperature
240 ml (1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
2 tsp beet powder
Ruby ganache:
125 g (4.5 oz.) Callebaut ruby chocolate callets
120 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
2 tsp beet powder
1 tbsp butter
To decorate:
Freeze-dried raspberries
Sanding sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 175C or 350F.
2. Butter and sugar the bundt pan. Yes, coat the bundt pan in sugar. Just trust me on this one.
3. In a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the ruby chocolate. Set aside to cool.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and 2 tsp beet powder. Set this aside.
6. In a stand mixer fitted with a beater, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until ... you guessed it ... light and fluffy.... all. the. time... light and fluffy is my mantra.
7. Reduce the speed to medium, then add the eggs, one at a time, waiting for one to be fully incorporated before adding the next one.
8. On the lowest speed setting, fold in the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture. Start and end with the flour.
9. Fold in the melted ruby chocolate.
10. Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan, making sure to fill all nooks and crannies.
11. Place a thick layer of kitchen towels under the pan, and bang the pan on the counter a few times to settle the batter and pop the air bubbles.
12. Bake in the center of the oven for 55 - 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
13. Rest the cake in the pan for 5-10 minutes, before inverting it onto a rack to cool completely.
When the bundt cake has cooled, make the ganache:
14. In a microwave safe bowl, place the ruby chocolate and heavy cream, and heat it in 15 second bursts, stirring in between.
15. When just melted, stir in the butter and the beet powder.
Adjust the consistency of the ganache: if too thick, add a bit more butter, and if too thin, refrigerate it a while.
16. Set the bundt cake, still on the cooling rack, on top of a pan or a large plate to catch all the chocolate drippings.
17. Pour the ganache all over the bundt cake, taking care not to miss the crevices.
Collect the chocolate on the pan/plate to drip on the cake again if needed.
18. Sprinkle freeze-dried raspberries and sanding sugar to decorate.