Chocolate & Spice Coffee Cake

Chocolate & Spice Coffee Cake
(Shared by Jo)
Serves 12 or more

1 1/3 cups pecan pieces
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (3.53 ounce) bar CACAO RESERVE BY HERSHEY'S 65% Extra Dark Chocolate with cacao nibs, broken up
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon HERSHEY'S unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sour cream
Confectioners' sugar

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch 12-cup bundt pan. Dust with cocoa powder and shake out excess.

Toast the pecans on a baking sheet for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Pulse the pecans, chocolate, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and the 5-spice powder in a food processor until the chocolate is coarsely ground.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter in a large deep bowl until light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Reduce the speed to low and alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream, in 2 batches each, to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat just until blended.

Pour about 2 cups of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with half of the chocolate mixture, the cover with half of the remaining batter and spread evenly. Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture and batter.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto the rack and cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. Serve cut into slices with a serrated knife.

Note: If you can't find the specific chocolate called for, you can substitute another chocolate with about the same intensity-the higher the percent of cacao solids (labeled as % cacao) in a bar, the more intense the chocolate flavor. Bars labeled simply as bittersweet, semisweet or dark can be used in any recipe calling for any recipe calling for chocolate of less than 70% cacao.