Tunnel of Fudge

The Globe had a Food section exclusive on chocolate cakes, and it succeeded in putting the idea in my mind to make a chocolate cake for Valentines Day. Given our crazy schedules, that didn’t happen. In retrospect, I’m glad this wasn’t a Valentines Day cake, given the inappropriate name. According to the article, this cake “won second place in the 17th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest in 1966.” So anyway, my friend Subbu invited us to dinner on Sunday, and I asked if there was anything I could bring, then suggested that I bring dessert.

I went to the store last night to get the stuff, and found everything but the bunt pan. I was half a block from home and the road was blocked by a van that got stuck very badly in the ice. I got out and tried to help, but eventually left them with my shovel, reversed down the street, and came in from the other side. I got stuck going into my driveway, and realized that one wheel was sinking into a sludgy ice-mixture that would be basically impossible to dig out. Anyway, I got started on that, and the other folks got their van out and came to help me. With four guys pushing, they were able to get the car out no problem. I’m convinced that there is no way to get through winter without the help of strangers, which is why I helped them in the first place. This is the third time my car had gotten stuck in this icy mess and each time I got help in some form from a stranger.

Anyway, I figured it was as good a time as any to get more of the ice out of my driveway, so I worked on that for awhile. By the time I brought my groceries up it was midnight and time to work on the tunnel of fudge. Given the strangeness of the evening, it came as no surprise to me that one of my housemates had a bunt pan, which is quite necessary for the fudge-effect. The recipe is fairly straightforward, three and a half sticks of butter, a bit more sugar, six eggs, followed by diabetes and a heart attack. I pulled it out of the oven at 1:30, and pretty much fell straight asleep. This morning I managed to get it out of the pan, which I am proud of. I’d show you a picture of my tunnel of fudge cake (the pic is from the above link), but I don’t have a digital camera. I think mine is prettier because I used the cathedral-style bunt pan. Maybe I’ll let you know if it is any good once I’ve eaten it.