Category Archives: Dessert

Here in New York, and in many other locations, Entenmann’s occupies a unique place in the hearts of families. For us, Entenmann’s has always been those cakes and pastry items you find on the endcap in your supermarket that is perfect when you need to pick something up for a dessert and do know what to get. The frosted chocolate donuts, the raspberry danish, and many others have always been favorites of ours, but Entenmann’s, like so many other manufacturers, does discontinue items after awhile for reason or another. Such was the fate of one of our favorite desserts, the brownie crumb ring. The brownie crumb ring has not been around for years now, and I once contacted Entenmann’s to find out about it, and their reply was that it was not a big seller of their items, so they rotated it out, but it has never returned. I searched for a long time trying to find one and then starting searching around for a recipe to make my own. I even bought the Entenmann’s cookbook in the hopes that it would be in there, but alas, it was not. Finally, after a long search, I was able to track down a recipe for the frosting, which is really the most integral part of the cake itself. The cake alone is a simple bundt cake, so armed with the frosting recipe and a recipe for Cook’s Country classic yellow bundt cake, I set to work.

Copycat Entenmann’s Brownie Crumb Ring

For the Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon juice

18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) butter, cut into 18 pieces and softened

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature

For the Frosting:

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/3 cup cola

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cold coffee

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 to 3 cups brownie crumbs (crumbled up brownies or brownies finely ground in the food processor, using your favorite recipe or boxed mix)

For the cake, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a nonstick bundt pan. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice together.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the egg yolk, one at a time, and beat the mixture until the eggs are combined. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the buttermilk mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Scrape the batter into the prepared bundt pan and gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking process. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the bundt pan and allow the cake to cool completely, about 2 hours. The cooled cake can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

For the frosting, combine the powdered sugar, butter, cocoa powder, cola, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and coffee together in a medium bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat the mixture together on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and spreadable, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can add a little more powdered sugar if the frosting is not as thick as you would like it. Spread the frosting on the cooled bundt cake to cover the cake. Sprinkle and press the brownie crumbs onto the cake, so the adhere nicely. Allow the cake to set for at least 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

I have to say while the frosting is not a perfect match for the brownie crumb ring, it is pretty darn close. Entenmann’s used a mocha-maple frosting for their cake, and it was coated in brownie crumbs, and this frosting certainly emulates that. Everyone who ate it when I made it said it was just like the original, so I think it gives you a chance to get pretty close to what you used to have if you always enjoyed that Entenmann’s cake. If you have never had the brownie crumb ring before, then this gives you the chance to try out something different that would be perfect for a party or a crowd. The bundt cake recipe alone is quite good, but when you add the frosting to it it makes the cake something special.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!