A Chocolate Marvel

I made two of these cakes this week as thank-yous for my friends who graciously watched my kids while I traipsed off to Chicago. It is a chocolate pound cake with chocolaty goodness poured all over it. Here is the recipe - I often add orange zest to the cake or the glaze or sometimes I add almond extract. It's hard to go wrong!

Bittersweet Chocolate Pound Cake

CAKE:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups water
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken up
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs

GLAZE:
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla

FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 325ºF. (300ºF for dark pans). Grease 10-inch bundt pan. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl. Bring water to a boil in small saucepan; remove from heat. Add 6 ounces baking chocolate; stir until smooth. Beat sugar, butter and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat on high speed for 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture alternately with chocolate mixture.

Pour into prepared bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until long wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with glaze. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional).

FOR GLAZE: Melt 1 bar (2 ounces) baking chocolate and butter in small, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar alternately with water until of desired consistency. Stir in vanilla extract.