Mocha Indulgence Bundt Cake

1. Preheat Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 325°F. Lightly grease an 8- or 10-inch Bundt pan to make sure your cake doesn’t stick.

2. Prepare Coffee-Cocoa Mixture

In a medium saucepan, bring your coffee to a simmer over medium heat. Once it’s simmering, whisk in the cocoa powder until it’s completely dissolved. This will intensify the chocolate flavor in your cake. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, canola oil, applesauce, and cornstarch until smooth, which should take about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract and the cooled chocolate-coffee mixture until everything is well combined.

4. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly into the wet ingredients. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it’s relatively smooth, which should take about 1 minute. If you don’t have a hand mixer, a good whisk will do the job in about 2 minutes. This step ensures your cake will have a tender crumb and rise evenly.

5. Bake the Cake

Pour the batter into your prepared Bundt pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes. To check if it’s done, insert a toothpick or knife into the center of the cake; it should come out clean when the cake is fully baked.

6. Cool the Cake

Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then, carefully invert it onto a plate and allow it to cool completely. This cooling process is crucial as it helps the cake set and makes it easier to handle.

7. Finish with Confectioners' Sugar

Before serving, sift the confectioners’ sugar over the top of the cake for a simple yet elegant finish.