Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F

Step 2

Grease and flour a tube pan.

Step 3

In a small bowl  add the cocoa powder and stir in 5 Tablespoons Hot water.  The water must be hot to blend the cocoa powder easily and to bloom the chocolate, set aside.

Step 4

In a separate bowl whisk the flour and baking powder to combine,  set aside.

Step 5

In the bowl of your mixer add the butter and mix on medium speed until soft.  Gradually add the sugar and mix until light a fluffy 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 6

Add the eggs one at a time mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.

Step 7

Add the vanilla extract to the 1 cup of milk. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and the milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  That will be 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of the milk. Mix just until well blended.

Step 8

Scoop 2 1/2 cups of batter into a medium sized bowl. Measure out 4 tablespoons of the liquid cocoa mixture and mix into the batter until blended. Pour into the prepared bundt pan and smooth with back of a spoon.

Step 9

Using a different bowl, add 2 1/2 cups of batter and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the cocoa mixture. Stir until blended and pour into the bundt pan, smoothing it over the first layer of batter with the back of a spoon.

Step 10

Add the remaining cake batter to the bundt pan & smooth with the back of a spoon for the vanilla layer

Step 11

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out.

Step 12

Combine the 4 oz. semi-sweet or dark chocolate and 3 oz. heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in small increments (30 seconds or less), stirring occasionally in between, until the chocolate is almost completely melted.

Step 13

Then, allow to sit a minute or two and gently stir to melt any remaining pieces of chocolate. Cool the ganache to desired consistency for dripping. We like to apply the drip using a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped away.