Dinner at Dad's

Originally invented by Ella Helfrich, who won the Pillsbury Bake Off in 1966.  The box mix and the pans were all the rage of late baby boomer children like me.  Cooks Country Test Kitchen recreated and improved the recipe in its 2009 season. 

Ingredients

• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup boiling water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups pulverized pecans, best if done in a food processor.
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa
• 1 tsp. salt
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 20 Tbs. unsalted butter at room temperature (two and a half sticks)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup light brown sugar

 Cooking Instructions

1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in glass bowl
2. Add boiling water and whisk gently when melted.
3. Set aside for at least 30 minutes so the chocolate can cool to room temperature.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, pecans, confectioners sugar, cocoa and salt.  Whisk together so they are fully incorporated.
5. In a second bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla
6. In a third bowl, use a hand mixer to mix the butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar until light and fluffy. 
7. Add the egg mixture and incorporate for about 30 seconds at medium speed.
8. Add the chocolate mixture and incorporate for about 30 more seconds at medium speed.  It will look grainy.
9. Add the flour mixture and mix with a large spoon.  Use the hand mixer and slowly raise the speed to medium until the mix is fully incorporated (about one minute total).
10. Grease a Bundt pan with a tablespoon of butter on a napkin, or using a spay vegetable oil like Pam. 
11. Coat the pan with cocoa powder by pouring a half cup into the greased pan and turning the pan so the powder coats all the sides.  Then turn it upside down over the sink and tap the back.
12. Pour the batter into the pan.  Gently rap the cake pan on table to break up large air bubbles.
13. Place in center of a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.  Check in 40 minutes to see if top has started to crack along sides. If it has, it is done.  The toothpick test won’t work because of the undercooked center.
14. Let cool and set for TWO HOURS!  After two hours, you can place a cake plate on top of the pan and turn the entire thing upside down.  The weight of the cake should make it come out easily.  Lift the pan off the cake and drizzle chocolate sauce on top.  Serve with ice cream and remember all the fattening stuff you put in it before you have seconds!