Chocolate Bundt Cake Soaked With Coffee Syrup

Makes 10-inch bundt cake, serving 12 to 14

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder (I used Hersheys Special Dark which gives the cake a super dark color, but any other good quality cocoa powder will be fine.)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

⅔ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
2 or 3 tablespoons instant coffee (depending on what kind you have, how strong you like coffee - adjust according to your taste.)

Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 350.  Grease and lightly flour inside of 10 inch bundt pan.

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Using either a stand mixer (paddle attachment) or a hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Gradually add sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 3 minutes.  Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for 30 to 40 seconds after each addition.  Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.  Beat in vanilla extract.  At low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream.  (Add a bit of flour, a bit of sour cream, a bit of flour, a bit of sour cream, a bit of flour.)

Scoop batter into pan and spread evenly with spatula.

Bake cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto another rack.

While cake is baking, make syrup.  Combine sugar, water and coffee in a small saucepan. Mix to allow coffee to dissolve.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove pan from heat.  

Using a pastry brush, dab syrup generously all over surface of the warm cake, allowing it to soak into the cake before reapplying.  Let the cake cool completely.

Serve after cake has cooled for optimum flavor.