This chocolate cake batter mixes up as fast a boxed cake mix. It bakes into a tender chocolate cake and has become my go-to chocolate cake. Two bowl and a wire whisk–no electric mixer needed.
Use it as your basic vegan chocolate cake. The penuche filling and chocolate glaze are not dairy-free and therefore not vegan.
See’s Candies
If you know See’s Candies, it’s likely that you’ve lived in the western United States, You’ll find a See’s Candies shop with its familiar black and white storefront in malls and thriving city centers. There are even See’s kiosks in many western airports–for those last minute impulse gifts. When I pass one of those kiosks I have a Pavlovian reaction–my mouth waters in memory. It’s a good thing they only sell packaged chocolate in the airport, because if there was an old-fashioned service counter, I’d have to stop to sample just the one.
My favorite See’s chocolate is a Dark Bordeaux, with chocolate sprinkles on the outside and a creamy brown sugar center. When the pastry chef in me decided to create a cake that tastes like a Bordeaux—I knew it would be a chocolate cake with a center like the candy.
First step, I thought, buy some Bordeaux to decipher the filling and replicate it. So I ordered a pound–online. On See’s website Bordeaux sports a little ‘tm’–it’s a trademark name. I learned that I couldn’t call my new cake Bordeaux.
When the package from California arrived, I closed my eyes, bit into a chocolate and tasted another memory–penuche. I remember eating Mom’s homemade penuche from a spoon as a sugary after-school snack. I once deluded my sister away from my spoon, telling her (lying) it was peanut butter. She licked peanut butter and I kept the penuche to myself.
Penuche (puh-NOO-chee) is a creamy, fudge-like brown sugar candy, with a texture and taste very similar to my favorite candy’s center. I hid my box of See’s Bordeaux in the office closet and savored them quietly and privately, over the span of a month, one at a time. And when the sugar buzz of the candy wore off, I made Chocolate Penuche Cake.
Family Memories
My mother in Orange County, California used to send her sister Aunt Jan in Seattle, Washington a huge See’s Candies solid chocolate Easter egg every year. Aunt Jan recalls that she bit off a piece at a time but that the candy didn’t last very long. When I was a girl, I don’t think I ever tasted one of those eggs, because Mom didn’t buy them for us–just for her chocoholic sister. I remember savoring chocolate assortments from See’s during the holidays, but I don’t remember going to the shop and buying them–I think they were gifts to our family.
Chocolate Penuche Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (7 ounces)
- 1 cup less 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cold water
Penuche Filling:
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup evaporated milk
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
- Pinch salt
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Honey Glaze:
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (55-60% cacao)
- 4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- chocolate decoratifs
Instructions
- To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-inch round pan with oil and dust lightly with flour, or spray generously with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment or waxed paper.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, vanilla, and water; then add to the dry ingredients.
- Mix for 2 minutes–with a hand whisk or with an electric mixer on low speed. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back when touched with a finger. Cool completely.
- To make the penuche filling:
- Mix together the brown sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in a saucepan. Place over low heat and stir a few times until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the mixture reaches a boil. When the mixture reaches a boil, let it cook but do not stir, for about 4 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and beat until the frosting cools and reaches spreading consistency, which can take 10 to 15 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
- To make the glaze:
- Place the chocolate, butter, and honey in the top of a double boiler, over gently boiling water; upper pan should not touch water. When the chocolate and butter are almost melted, remove from the heat. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until smooth. Allow to cool until just spreadable.
- To assemble the cake:
- With a serrated knife, split the cake in two layers, keeping the knife level and parallel to the bottom of the cake.
- Put the bottom cake layer on a cardboard circle or a flat serving plate. Use a frosting spatula to spread the penuche on the cake. Place the second cake layer on top, pressing gently to flatten.
- Frost the sides and top of the cake with the cooled glaze. Sprinkle the cake all over with chocolate decoratifs.
This cake sounds amazing–I love See’s bordeaux. The story about your mother was lovely 🙂 · 10 February, 2011
Even before See’s There was Awful Fresh McFarlans on the corner of 5th and Main in Santa Ana, CA
I would stop there on my way home from High School and buy 25 cents worth of chunk Milk Chocolate. It would last the 8 more blocks home and I would just gnaw on it till it was gone.
They perfected, in the 50’s, the idea of having a fan blow out the front door, the smell of chocolate. · 7 March, 2011
I have made this cake and it is wonderful! I would like to know if anyone out there could do basically the same thing except with the See’s dark chocolate raspberry creams! I think you could do the whole cake the same if someone knew how to reproduce the raspberry filling> · 11 October, 2011
Wow.. What memories. As a child my dad and I used to go to See’s and giggle while eating the candy with the “mouse turds” on them. Yes, Bordeaux.
My favorite too. And I cannot wait to try making this cake. Wouldn’t Bordeaux Cake Balls be fun? Thanks for such a trip down memory lane and another new adventure with the recipe! · 8 January, 2014
I found your recipe and have assembled all the ingredients. I loved your story of the Bordeaux , same for our family. Even had a Apricot Poodle named Bordeaux. Anyway, its my sisters 70th and that is what we wanted to make her, so here goes. · 12 June, 2015
Go for it Deede. This cake is super super delish. Let me know how it comes out. Take a photo and post on Facebook or Instagram if you do those. Hashtag #lettycooksveggies · 12 June, 2015
The cake turned out prefect! Big hit at the party. Had extra honey chocolate glaze left over, but will not go to waist! I did post on Facebook but need to put # information, thanks, thumbs up! · 14 June, 2015
so happy to know you are a baking success! Happy Birthday to your sister… · 15 June, 2015
Sounds delicious! Bordeaux See’s candy has always reminded me of my Grandma Wanda’s Penuche candy balls. We can’t find the recipe anymore and my aunts and mom aren’t sure of all ingredients or exactly how to make. Do you have a Penuche recipe by chance that’s not the fudge? · 24 December, 2020
Thank you Tiffany. This is the only penuche recipe I know. I wonder how your Grandma made her candy balls. Maybe with a recipe like this and she just rolled them into little balls? Let me know if you figure it out! · 24 December, 2020
Thanks for the reply :). That’s what we plan to try and see how it turns out! · 25 December, 2020