MARTHASTEWART.COM

Chocolate Kugelhopf

This cake makes a delicious breakfast, sliced, toasted, and buttered.
Martha Stewart Living, December 2012
  • Prep Time 40 minutes
  • Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield Makes one 10-inch cake
    Serves 10 to 12
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Ingredients

  • Dough

    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for bowl
    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for surface
    • 2 1/4 teaspoons (one 1/4-ounce envelope) active dry yeast
    • 3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
  • Filling

    • 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
    • 1 cup golden raisins
    • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • Serving

    • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

  1. Dough: Bring milk almost to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt. Transfer to a large bowl, and let cool until lukewarm, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and the yeast, and beat with a mixer on low speed. Beat in eggs and egg yolk, 1 at a time. Beat in remaining 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Transfer dough (it will be sticky) to a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Place in a buttered bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough, knead a few times, and let rest 10 minutes. Roll out into a 14-by-22-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.

  2. Filling: Mix together brown sugar, raisins, and chocolate. Brush butter on dough, and sprinkle filling on top, leaving a 1-inch border.

  3. Starting from a long side, roll up dough; cut crosswise into 12 slices. Place 6 slices flush against the side of a buttered 10-inch tube pan. Place remaining 6 slices, cut sides together, around tube of pan. Cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Unmold, and let cool completely on rack, about 1 hour. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Cook's Note

Gild the Lily
The only thing better than a slice of chocolate kugelhopf is one that's been toasted and spread with sweet butter.

Recipe Reviews

Reviews (1)

  • Gerald Gerjekian
    27 Dec, 2012

    I made this Chocolate Kugelhopf twice during Christmas week. It was LOVED by all. Looks as beautiful as the picture and tastes great.
    I used to make a Chocolate Brioche for Christmas but this will become the new tradition.
    Both times I baked it a little less than 40 minutes. The last time I removed it at 35 minutes.