Tunnel of Fudge Cake {Tunnel of Doom Cake}
This Tunnel of Fudge Cake or Tunnel of Doom Halloween Cake is a moist vanilla Bundt cake with a rich ribbon of chocolate running it.
Make it a Halloween Dessert by transforming it into a Tunnel of Doom Cake, topped with a few seasonal sprinkles.
Why You Must Make
Any time I heard about a Tunnel of Fudge Cake recipe, I’d make a mad dash to check it out. Most included a boatload of chopped nuts, something my family would not eat. One of my foodie friends shared this recipe. which is sans nuts and topped with a glossy chocolate glaze.
- It’s perfect any time of year, but on Halloween, it can be a “tunnel of doom” cake!
- The fudgy center is a bonus surprise when you serve up slices.
- The double dose of chocolate will please the chocoholics!
Expert Tips
- Before you start, note that this recipe contains baking powder, not baking soda. Baking powder often expires before you use the whole can so make sure you check the expiration date. To check its potency, put a spoonful in a cup of hot water. If it’s active, it will bubble vigorously.
- Prep your pan well before adding the batter. Older Bundt pans are notorious for sticking since the finish isn’t perfectly smooth.
- Pour a bit more than half the plain batter into your prepared Bundt ban.
- Add the chocolate batter in a ring over the plain batter. The chocolate batter should be away from both sides of the cake pan with a strip of plain batter on both sides.
- Only cool for about 10 minutes or the cake may not release from the pan in one piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s just a matter of carefully layering the batters. First, a little more than half the plain batter is added to the Bundt pan. Then a ring of the chocolate batter is poured over the plain batter, equidistant from the edges so it bakes up in the middle. Last, the remainder of the plain batter is poured over the top to cover the filling.
First, the pan must be prepped properly by coating it with a layer of butter, then dusting it with flour or using a flour and oil baking spray. If your pan has lost its finish, it still may stick. So inspected it for signs of wear before making the batter.
Then the cake must cool for about 15 minutes before attempting removal. This is so the crust of the cake can firm up and keep the cake in one piece. If you wait too long, the cake will get stuck, but if you don’t wait long enough, the cake may come out in pieces.
When it’s cooled a bit, I like to gently jiggle the pan back and forth to loosen it a bit. Use hot pads if needed. Then gently invert onto a rack to finish cooling.
Use a toothpick to check the middle of the cake for about 5-10 minutes before the timer goes off. Check in more than one spot. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If it has some batter, continue baking and recheck in 5-10 minutes.
If there are a few moist crumbs, check a few more spots. The residual heat will continue to bake the cake, so as long as there is no batter, the cake can come out of the oven.
The original tunnel of fudge cake recipe was the Pillsbury bake-off winner in 1966. Created with a package of Double Dutch Frosting Mix, the recipe soon became obsolete when the mix was discontinued. A blogger friend shared her tunnel of fudge cake recipe with me (her blog no longer exists), and it was a rare recipe that didn’t include any nuts so it was perfect for my family.
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- More Chocolate Recipes
Tunnel of Fudge Cake {Tunnel of Doom Cake}
A vanilla cake with a "tunnel" of fudge. A perfect cake for any occasion!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped, divided (6 ounces for cake, 4 ounces for glaze)
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Reserved chocolate
Instructions
- Butter and flour, or spray with a flour and oil baking spray, a 12-cup capacity Bundt pan. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350º.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Melt 6 ounces of the chocolate in the microwave (stop and stir every 30 seconds till melted and smooth). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla till fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, till incorporated.
- In another bowl (I used a Pyrex 2-Cup Glass Measuring Cup), whisk together the milk and sour cream. With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour and the milk mixture into the batter, mixing till smooth.
- Stir 1 cup of this batter into melted chocolate and set aside (chocolate should be warm, not hot before adding batter). Set aside.
- Spoon slightly more than half the plain batter into the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan. Add the chocolate batter, followed by the remaining plain batter. Smooth top with an offset spatula if needed.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes then release from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
- To make the glaze, melt the remaining chocolate with corn syrup and heavy cream in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds till smooth and melted. Cool slightly.
- Place the cake on the cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spoon glaze over the cake.
- Let glaze firm up at room temperature and serve.
Notes
You may add sprinkles after drizzling on the frosting.
Make sure your baking powder is fresh as it isn't used as often as baking soda and usually expires in your pantry. The cake won't rise properly if it's old.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 431Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 371mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 2gSugar: 45gProtein: 7g
39 Comments on “Tunnel of Fudge Cake {Tunnel of Doom Cake}”
WOW and Than some
Been looking for a similar recipe since forever. My mother used to make a chocolate cake and fudgy “tunnel” back in the 70’s. She made it in an angel food (tube) pan cause we didn’t have (couldn’t afford) a bundt cakepan. IT WAS DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DELICIOUS.. If this was chocolate cake it would have been it…
Any thoughts on making this a chocolate cake and tunnel?
Hi, John,
I’d either use a chocolate box cake mix and add the filling or try my recipe for a cheesecake stuffed Bundt cake except use the fudge filling instead. I’m having trouble adding a clickable link but here it is to copy and paste —> https://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/cheesecake-stuffed-chocolate-bundt-cake/ (https://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/cheesecake-stuffed-chocolate-bundt-cake/)
Wow! This cake looks absolutely delicious and yummy! Perfect for this Holiday season! Loved it!
This has always been a hit at my house!! So good! thanks for the recipe!
If the name alone doesn’t get you, the taste will! What a decadent treat!
This cake was the perfect ratio of chocolate and vanilla for me! I am a bundt cake fan to begin with and this is now on the top of my list. So delish!
This was really amazing! Everyone at my house loved it! I can’t wait to make it again!
This cake is amazing!!! Such a fun title but the cake is one of a kind! That middle taste so good too!
Oh my goodness the presentation is perfect! Look delicious too! Beautiful cake that I can’t wait to try.
This is such a pretty cake! Everyone was so impressed and loved it!
this looks DELICIOUS! I need to make this recipe ASAP for my family!!
Delicious cake!
https://dinamighty.com/
My prefer nut free desserts too, so I think they will enjoy this cake a lot. Thanks for sharing your recipe on Merry Monday. Pinned.
This looks like a delicious cake and I love the surprise pattern inside.
This is such a beautiful cake! *-*!
Cakes like this are classics for a reason. Why I’ve never made this before is a mystery and I intend to find out just how good this is. I’d have to bake it without the nuts also. My Gabbi would have a fit if she couldn’t have any of this.
This cake is gorgeous and the glaze is so perfect and glossy! It would be a hit around my house too!
This cake! I’d take that whole thing down in about five minutes flat. So delicious!
This cake looks absolutely amazing!! Thanks for sharing!!!
I haven’t had a tunnel of fudge cake in years. They were always so yummy and yours looks fantastic! I’d forgotten about this cake. I’ll have to make it – I know my family will love it!
Bundt pan cakes are always popular and this one will be no exception, I’m sure.
So pretty, so chocolatey! Can’t wait to bake.
That looks SO amazing! I tried a tunnel of fudge cake once, but it was chocolate cake and I must have messed up the recipe somehow. So I am really excited to try this recipe now that I have a little more experience baking 🙂 I’m sure it will turn out a lot better haha
P.S. Thank you for always commenting on my posts – half the time I forget to reply back, but I really appreciate it and wanted to let you know! 🙂
What a lovely version of this classic cake! Love your presentation, too.
Tunnel of doom! Love it. My family is the same way about nuts, so this is perfect.
Be still my heart.. you had me at fudge! 🙂
Oh my gosh!! This looks perfect! I don’t think I’d want to cut into it for a minute. Then I’d devour it in a matter of seconds, lol. Love I.T ????
“Tunnel of Doom”??? I’m sold. SO chocolatey and SO good!!
This cake is SO pretty!
This cake is almost too pretty to eat. Almost! 🙂
You know I struggle to get my family to eat desserts with nuts in, this cake would be perfect for them.
Wow that is such a yummy looking cake. Love the glossy ganache on top.
Great way to start off Choctoberfest Liz and I love that during October it becomes the Tunnel of Doom!!
This looks so good! I could just eat a slice now with a cup of tea!
I remember this cake from when I was a kid! Wow…*prints*! Thanks for sharing a great one! P~
Yummy ! 🙂 it looks so delicious, I will surely try these at home thanks for sharing and the pictures are also impressive 🙂
The only thing scary about this Tunnel of Doom Cake is how much of it I could eat:@)
The crumb is perfectly moist and tender. YUM!
It’s so perfect and pretty. Amazing how perfect the two colours are – so neat and tidy! I really must get a cake tin like yours – I don’t have anything like it xx