Baby Chocolate Bundt Cakes for Fair Trade Month!

Baby Chocolate Bundt Cakes
Baby Chocolate Bundt Cakes

Hello October! After a humid summer here in the southern US, temperatures have finally cooled. To me, the world feels more awake and invigorated! The sky seems bluer, the landscape sharper, and the pugs are frisking in the brisk fall air. We are truly in our happy place!

Along with cool weather and mini specters, October brings us Fair Trade month. It seems like everywhere we look – in all corners of the world – there are needs to be met. It can be overwhelming to think about, but doing something small like buying Fair Trade Certified coffee and chocolate can positively impact someone’s life. It’s a good thing for you, too. Fair trade products are grown and prepared with care, using no pesticides, no GMO’s, and with practices that will protect the environment. Add to this list a slew of awards and accolades for outstanding flavor, and you can be sure that buying Fair Trade Certified products for your baking is a good decision!

Baby Chocolate Bundt Cakes

These baby bundts were made using Lake Champlain baking cocoa and Guittard extra semisweet baking chips. Both are Fair Trade Certified and are known for their superior quality. Together they give this cake a chocolaty flavor that is deep and lingering; a quality I also attribute to the dose of Equator coffee added to the batter.

Baby Chocolate Bundt Cakes

Speaking of coffee! 

This year the folks at BeFair.org invited a handful of bloggers to be paired with a Fair Trade farmer, to tell their story. As a self-professed coffee connoisseur, I was thrilled to meet Basingwa Maria, a coffee grower from Rwanda. 

Basingwa Maria started farming in 1974 and she says that after her husband died in the war she poured her heart into her coffee trees. Coffee was her family’s sole source of income, and she had to make it profitable. She joined the Dukunde Kawa cooperative in 2000, and with the increased income she has received from her fair trade coffee over the years, she has been able to bring running water to her home and invest in solar panels on her roof. She hopes to bring electricity to her house soon.

She has also been able to diversify her family’s nutrition. They used to eat potatoes and beans everyday with no change, and they could not afford food at the market or oil for cooking. Now her family is able to buy food from the market and they do not have to solely rely on growing everything they eat.

While she never attended school, she says that because of the cooperative all of her children were able to attend school and two of them are currently in university. She beams when saying that her children have good ideas, and that now they have the ability to fulfill their visions.

“After the war I never believed we could get this kind of life. Having this beautiful house, sitting with my children having discussions of how to improve our lives.” – Basingwa Maria

She has twice won the cup of excellence award from her cooperative, which is pretty amazing! These farmers put so much care and love into their coffee growing, and knowing that inspired me to make a dessert worthy of such an ingredient – and what’s better than chocolate-chocolate cake with a big dose of coffee in the batter? 

Baby Chocolate Bundt Cakes

I’m so excited to also be hosting a giveaway for the chocolate and coffee I used to make these little cakes – and more! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

This prize package includes:

Big thanks to all the brands who generously donated these products to make this giveaway possible!

Baby Chocolate Bundt Cakes

One more thing! The participating Fair Trade Month bloggers are having a friendly Recipe Rally pinning competition. Check out our Pinterest Board to find new delicious recipes, and pin your favorites!

Baby Chocolate Bundt Cakes

[click for printable version]

Yields 12 small bundt cakes or 1 twelve cup bundt cake

These baby bundt cakes took about 40 minutes to bake, which really surprised me. I expected them to bake in half of that time. My advice is to keep an eye on them so they don’t over-bake. They are done when the cakes spring back when pressed in the centers.

My bundt pans were metal, and about 3/4 cup capacity. If you don’t have small bundt pans, then a jumbo muffin tin can be used. This batter will also make one standard 12 cup bundt cake.

Cake

Baking spray with flour

1 cup/280 ml strongly brewed hot coffee

1 cup/120 g Lake Champlain unsweet cocoa powder

1 cup/240 g sour cream

3 cups/380 g all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups/450 g sugar

1 1/2 cups/282 g unsalted butter, softened

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 

Coffee glaze

1/2 cup/125 ml strongly brewed coffee

10 ounces Guittard extra semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Leaves

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat 8 mini bunt pans
(approximately 3/4 cup capacity each) or one 12 cup capacity bundt pan with
baking spray with flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk hot brewed coffee into the cocoa
powder until smooth; whisk in sour cream. In a large bowl, whisk together
flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat butter and sugar together in
the bowl of a standing mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a
time, until incorporated and then beat in the vanilla. Add flour mixture in
three additions, alternating with 2 additions of cocoa mixture and beat until
combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans, filling the small bundt pans no more than 3/4 full. Place the mini bundt pans on a baking sheet
and place them in the oven. Bake the mini bundts for 35- 40 minutes, or until
the cake springs back when pressed in the center.  If making one standard bundt cake, bake for 1
hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set over a waxed paper lined
baking sheet. Let cool 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let the cakes cool
completely.

Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, pour the hot brewed coffee over the
chocolate and let stand 5 minutes.  Whisk
until well combined. Dip the top of each mini bundt cake into the glaze and
then turn it upright and place it on the cooling rack set over waxed paper.  For the standard size bundt cake, pour the
glaze over the cake allowing the glaze to drip down sides and cover cake. Let
set 3 hours at room temperature or 1 hour in refrigerator.

Make the chocolate leaves: To make the chocolate leaves, you’ll need chemical-free nontoxic fresh leaves – try min, lemon, ivy, rose, or strawberry leaves – and a clean, small paintbrush.

Using the paintbrush, brush one or two coats of chocolate
on the underside of each leaf. Wipe away any chocolate from the top side of the
leaf. Then place the leaves, chocolate side up, on a baking sheet lined with
waxed paper or a curved surface (such as a rolling pin or the bottom edge of a
pie plate) and place in the refrigerator until set. While the chocolate is cold,
peel the leaf away from the chocolate.  Store the leaves in the refrigerator until
ready to use. Garnish each baby bundt with one or two chocolate leaves.

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MuchRatherBake
MuchRatherBake
9 years ago

I'm in love with how these cakes are completely covered in a glaze =)

dance247
dance247
9 years ago

I have been dying to make a chocolate souffle and this would give me the perfect excuse! ~Lauren

Amy C.
Amy C.
9 years ago

I would make some biscotti!

Chrisi
Chrisi
9 years ago

I make a Guiness stout bundt cake covered in ganache, and the recipe would totally work as mini bundts! Can't wait to try it!

Heather
Heather
9 years ago

Oh Heather. What a beautiful story and PERFECT way to illustrate a cause. So many organizations are asking for support these days, and your post today really puts a face and reward onto this cause. We take for granted so much of what we have, and you reminded me that I need to think more about what I buy, who it is from, and if it helps someone in the right way. KUDOS, friend! The mini bundts are ADORBZ!

eyo
eyo
9 years ago

A chocolate loaf!

June Burns
June Burns
9 years ago

Love this post! Fair trade is one cause that I think we can all support. Better for humanity…better for the environment…what's not to love? I love how you used them in these cakes, I'm sure they were lovely to eat knowing they are delicious as well as healthy for the planet. 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

I would make chocolate brownies and truffles mmmm

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

I'd make your baby bundts with the fair trade chocolate.

Courtney C.

Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
9 years ago

So cute for fall!! Loving these!

IDLE AWHILE
IDLE AWHILE
9 years ago

I'd make these!! They look amazing!!

Sarah Bleil
Sarah Bleil
9 years ago

Those cakes look delicious!!!

Sarah Bleil
Sarah Bleil
9 years ago

I would make cookies!

Babitha
Babitha
9 years ago

i would make choclates,chocolates n more chocolates

Jen @ Fresh From The...
Jen @ Fresh From The...
9 years ago

What is it about tiny cakes that just make me want to eat them up? Super cute!

Adrienne
Adrienne
9 years ago

Lake Champlain Chocolats are definitely boss. I used to live right around the corner from one of their stores… and hoo BOY was it hard not to stop in whenever I went by. I always use fair trade coffee and chocolate in my baking/mouth (lol)… so it's hard to pick just one recipe. But I particularly like my flourless chocolate and cayenne cake right now. I make little hockey puck sized ones and I do a ganache coating as well. The key, I think, is the local FT honey I use, it really works with the almond flour and the… Read more »

arien
arien
9 years ago

I would love to try making these baby chocolate bundt cakes! They look yum!

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

those look amazing! and the little cakes are so cute!

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

How Cute! Oh geez I don't know what I'd want to make first. Maybe a chocolate ganache filled tart mmm.

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

These look great. Just the right size.

Reds Creations
Reds Creations
9 years ago

She is such an inspiration to those who believe they have nothing. But she proves that if you work hard you can persevere! Thank you, Heather, for being my baking inspiration!

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

Cheesecake or cookies!

Vee
Vee
9 years ago

I would make a simple chocolate cake with deep dark chocolate buttercream.

Jaime
Jaime
9 years ago

I would make these bundts! 🙂

Bianca
Bianca
9 years ago

i'd love to try to make these delicious beautiful little baby cakes!!

rlzirkle
rlzirkle
9 years ago

Chocolates! Truffles! So many things!

Kristina
Kristina
9 years ago

What a great story about the coffee grower!

Bryn
Bryn
9 years ago

Chocolate babka

Kim
Kim
9 years ago

Hot chocolate!

karen
karen
9 years ago

I'd make cookies!
karenreichmann@hotmail.com

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

Chocolate and coffee? Yummo! Any time of year is perfect to spotlight Fair Trade, but with this package I cannot think of a better time! – Alicia

landonfamily
landonfamily
9 years ago

Those are lovely little cakes and the giveaway is tremendous!

eidolons
eidolons
9 years ago

I try to only buy fair trade chocolate. So.. anything chocolate? (:
Our family favorite is chocolate brownie cake.

Robin Chesser
Robin Chesser
9 years ago

I'm making lots of brownies in support of Fair Trade, I support Fair Trade all year long.

Celestine
Celestine
9 years ago

Mmmmmmmm chocolate……how about under the covers with a book and flashlight so I don't have to share.

Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
9 years ago

Pretty little Bundts! A heavenly combo.

Cheers,

Rosa

Laura
Laura
9 years ago

These are so adorable! What a great cause too!

Stephanie
Stephanie
9 years ago

Those bundts are so beautiful! Well done!!

Sue
Sue
9 years ago

Chocolate mousse – decadent and delicious! x

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

I would love to use Fair Trade chocolate to make home made hot cocoa!

Karey
Karey
9 years ago

These look delicious! I would make them with fair trade chocolate!!

Yuchie
Yuchie
9 years ago

These cakes!

Cookie!
Cookie!
9 years ago

I would make flourless chocolate cake with fair trade chocolate to let the flavor really shine! Thanks for the opportunity!

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

Love the idea of painting non-toxic leaves for decoration! Hooray for new ideas and for Fair Trade!
Debbie the NY Baker

Rose-Marie
Rose-Marie
9 years ago

I'd like to make some healthy bars that have the chocolate and nuts, seeds, dried fruits for holiday treats!

Tiff
Tiff
9 years ago

The leaves are GORGEOUS! I'd love to try it with maple leaves, brushed with some edible metallic dust.

Celia Becker @After Orange County
Celia Becker @After Orange County
9 years ago

Beautiful photography and delicious looking recipe for a great cause.

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

Great idea for chocolate leaves.. Just try this!

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

These look adorable! I would definitely try them with the fair trade chocolate!

Anonymous
Anonymous
9 years ago

Leslie:
Maybe cookies?
leslieannstevenson@yahoo.com