Oh my goodness…the end of the school year is almost here! And my “little-ones” are going on to middle school! Say what??! I swear yesterday I gave birth to them!?!? Well, the end of the school year also means Teacher Appreciation—and we have been so blessed this year…and most years past with amazing teachers. It will be so hard to say goodbye to them in a few weeks!
I made this yummy chocolate chip bundt cake for the teacher lunch. Turned out great! Be sure to spray pan good so your cake comes out nicely—yes I rushed this step….and yes that is why I have covered this piece with powdered sugar :) you caught me…

What you need:

2½ cups sugar, divided
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup light corn syrup
2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided
2 2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I like Ghiradelli)

1.) In a small saucepan, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar, the cocoa powder and corn syrup with ½ cup hot water. Bring just to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in ½ teaspoon of vanilla. Set aside.
2.) Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Butter ( I would spray with bakers spray..just sayin) and lightly flour a 12-cup bundt pan.
3.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4.) In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter with the remaining 2 cups sugar until light in color and fluffy, about two minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Beat in the remaining 2 tsp vanilla.
5.) Reduce the mixer speed to low, and beat in a third of the flour mixture just until the flour begins to disappear into the batter. Beat in half the milk. Beat in another third of the flour, then the rest of the milk, and finish with the remaining flour until the batter is smooth. Stop the mixer and gently fold in the chocolate chips.
6.) Scoop out a third of the batter into a medium bowl, whisk in the chocolate syrup and set aside.
7.) Pour another third of the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth it with a spatula. Evenly top this layer with the chocolate batter. Finish by pouring the last third of the vanilla batter over the top.
8.) Lightly swirl the batters with a wooden skewer or knife to give a “marble” effect–a continuous figure-8 motion while going around the pan works well.
9.) Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when touched, about 60-70 minutes.
10.) Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the cooled cake onto a serving platter and dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving if desired. Store any leftovers in a cake dome at room temperature for 4-5 days, maybe more.

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