When I went home for Christmas, my Mom had made this Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake. Don't let the sauerkraut put you off; unless you tell folks what it is, they probably won't guess. In texture, it actually most closely resembles coconut.
The original recipe is from Cooks.com, but as you can see, my Mom went the semi-homemade route (and made a few other changes). Here's what she had to say:
This looked like a great recipe for a Bundt cake.
Confession 1. – I used a box cake – Duncan Hines Chocolate [I think Devil’s Food] to which I added sauerkraut, nuts and vanilla, then baked more or less per box instructions for Bundt cake.
Confession 2 – I had closer to 1/2 cup of sauerkraut so I did not rinse it, but did drain thoroughly. I used canned because it tends to be more finely cut.
Confession 3 – I added more than “enough warm coffee” and so poured rather than spread the glaze, punching holes in cake to absorb it. I think the stronger the coffee the better.
Another time, I might take my kitchen shears to the sauerkraut to minimize long strands but otherwise I really liked the results.
Here's the recipe:
2/3 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. water
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 c. sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs. Add vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients. Add 1/3 at a time alternately with water. Stir in sauerkraut and nuts. Bake in 9x14 pan (or, you know, put it in a bundt pan), greased and floured, for 45 minutes.
Glaze:
3 tbsp. butter
1 c. confectioners sugar
1 sq. unsweetened chocolate
Enough warm coffee to make easy to spread
Melt chocolate and sugar, butter and coffee. Spread over cake.
