Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt Cake

What better way to embrace December than with decadent baked goods? I love the holidays and my daughter helped me decorate for Christmas this week. She loved all the nativities that we have and went to the kitchen to find raisins to feed baby Jesus. She's got it figured out that part of the holiday spirit is feeding people you love! I have a few favorite cakes that I'll post - they're all simple, tasty, and would make a nice addition to a holiday meal, open house, or afternoon with friends.

This is a Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt Cake. Need I say more? Ok, I'll tell you about the espresso glaze . . . it's to die for. When I made this, my husband told me that I should pour it over anything that I bake because all he wanted was the glaze. I had the ingredients for this in my kitchen and I've fallen in love with baking sprays that have flour in them (PAM makes one) for bundt cake success.

Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt Cake (from Bon Appetit 9/09)

1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder, divided
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 12-to 15-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Whisk 1 cup boiling water, cocoa powder, and 2 teaspoons espresso powder in 2-cup glass measure. Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in large bowl to blend. Add eggs; beat to blend.

Beat mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds longer. Beat in half of flour mixture, then cocoa mixture. Add remaining flour mixture; beat to blend. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared Bundt pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool the cake 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack (or platter) and cool 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, stir remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts. Remove from heat. Add butter and remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips; stir until butter and chocolate melt. Cool slightly. Using spoon, drizzle icing over cake. Cool cake completely, slice, and serve.

PS - I'm back from my blogging hiatus . . . it wasn't planned but with a trip to the east coast for Thanksgiving and trying to grade essays, quizzes, and homework before finals next week, things have been busy! Looking forward to catching up with everyone in the next few weeks.