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Tunnel Of Fudge™ Cake

Tunnel Of Fudge™ CakeThe Tunnel Of Fudge™ Cake, a second-place Pillsbury Bake-Off® winner in 1966, was developed by Ella Rita Helfrich of Houston, Texas, who won $5,000. The original recipe used a product called Double Dutch Fudge Buttercream Frosting Mix, which the company has discontinued. However, because of many consumer requests, Pillsbury test kitchens developed this recipe, which uses scratch ingredients. Nuts are essential to the cake's success.

Recipe Ingredients:

Cake:
3 1/2 sticks butter or margarine, softened (1 3/4 cups), plus more for greasing pan
2 1/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour, plus more for flouring pan
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups chopped walnuts*

Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk

Cooking Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12-cup Bundt® pan or 10-inch angel cake pan. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until well-blended. By hand, stir in 2 1/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa and the nuts; mix until well-blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
  4. Bake for 58 to 62 minutes. (Because this cake has a soft tunnel of fudge, an ordinary doneness test cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking time are critical.)
  5. Let the cake cool upright in the pan on a rack for 1 hour, then invert onto a serving plate and let cool completely.
  6. To make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk. Mix until well blended, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon milk to make a spooning consistency.
  7. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cooled cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store the cake tightly covered.

Makes 16 servings.

*Nuts are essential for the success of this recipe.

Tip: Since this cake has a soft filling, an ordinary doneness test cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking times are essential.

Pillsbury BEST® is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license. Bake-Off® is a registered trademark of General Mills © 2012.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of The Pillsbury Company.