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An Affair from the Heart

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Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake

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Rich chocolate bundt cake with a coconut tunnel inside. Drizzled with both chocolate and vanilla icing. Just like that age old mix time forgot. If that particular cake mix held a special place in your heart, you are going to be very happy that you came across this recreation. I have been told by countless people that it tastes just like the Pillsbury box mix from years ago. 

Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake

I originally posted this Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake recipe in October of 2011, although the process of perfecting this cake took years before that. Back in 1991, at one of my bridal showers, my Aunt Carol gave me my first bundt cake pan.  She had remembered Brian saying how he loved a cake made by Pillsbury, called a Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake.

She had slipped one of the cake mixes inside the bundt cake pan. He was so excited for me to make it! Then, the very next year, they quit making it.
 

Making the Pillsbury Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake Mix at Home

Before I share the recipe with you, let me tell you how I went about trying to make this cake. Now, I am not a fan of coconut, so if it wasn’t his favorite cake, the fact that the mix was discontinued would have gone totally unnoticed by me. But it was. I searched high and low, and couldn’t find one anywhere.

For years I tried to find him one that was similar, or maybe turn him on to a new cake? One year I made this tall gorgeous Waldorf Astoria cake. It was RED, his favorite color, that would help ease the pain of missing his coconut macaroon bundt cake, right? Nope.
And the cake was gorgeous, but it also weighed about 50 pounds! Epic fail. I felt like I just kept disappointing him on his birthday. 
 

Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake

Getting the chocolate macaroon bundt cake right

These days, a quick click to Google and all sorts of recipes and ideas pop up. But back in the dark ages when we got married, and the cake was ripped from the grocery shelves,  Google wasn’t even born yet, and you couldn’t just hop on your smartphone and find whatever you want at your fingertips.
 
Once Google was born, I started trying recipes that said they tasted like the old box mix. Year after year I tried. Bless his heart, he was so sweet to say “it’s okay, I mean it’s close…but not quite there” He ate them every time so I wouldn’t feel bad. Finally, I decided to take a couple of different recipes and tweak them and merge them and guess what?? I had it!! I think his words were something like “You FINALLY did it!!”
 
 
 
 
Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake
 

Ingredients in Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake

If you can’t wait to make this chocolate bundt cake with its delicious coconut filling – the ingredients may be close by, right in your pantry! It doesn’t call for anything crazy. Just some basic baking ingredients. 

  • One Devils Food Cake Mix, plus all of the ingredients the mix requires; egg, oil, and water. You can sub in chocolate or chocolate fudge if you’d like. 
  • For the coconut filling, you’ll need egg white, sugar, vanilla, sweetened flaked coconut, and a little bit of flour.
  • For the glaze, you can make it from scratch with butter, milk, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Or you can take a shortcut and warm a little bit of canned frosting in the microwave and drizzle that over the top. Works great!
 

How to make a chocolate coconut bundt cake

Just like the chocolate macaroon bundt cake mix from days gone by, this recipe has 3 separate steps, the cake, the filling, and the glaze.

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and spraying your bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Prepare cake mix as per box instructions. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, with a fork quickly mix egg whites. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix again. Stir in coconut and flour.

chocolate-macaroon-tunnel-cake-prep

 

  • Pour about ½ of the cake mix into your bundt pan. Now spoon filling in a “tunnel” on top of the batter. Be careful not to let the filling touch the pan. Now pour and evenly cover the tunnel with the rest of the batter.
  • Next, Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool in pan for 20-30 minutes before turning it onto a plate to cool the rest of the way.
  • Finally, Drizzle with frosting/glaze and dust with a little extra coconut to “pretty” it up!

 

 
 
Is it gorgeous?? It truly is a showstopper of a dessert. Perfect for holidays and of course birthdays.
 
 

Warm Fuzzy Comments – Chocolate Coconut Macaroon Bundt Cake Mix Recipe

This cake has generated some amazing comments over the years. It’s one of those that sparks nostalgia for many. Those kinds of recipes and those kinds of comments are my favorite, and make me happy to do what I do for a living. Here are some from over the years:
 

Spring K. says “My husband and I will celebrate our 46th anniversary next Saturday. We made this bundt cake while we were dating, and after we were first married. I’m going to surprise him with this cake!” 

Kay says “I was very excited to find your recipe. I too loved this mix and was sad when it went away. I made this cake today and it was just like I remembered it. Thank you!!!”

Marianne said “Yay!! I’m totally with your husband. I think you did it! My sister always asked for the Pillsbury chocolate macaroon Bundt cake for her birthday and when they stopped making them we tried to copy it. Not ever really successful. But we used your recipe mostly for her birthday this Sunday and she’s crazy picky but said it was just what she remembered. Thank you!”

 

comment bubble an affair from the heart

Most recently I received a facebook messsage from Jamie. This one really got me! Here is what it said –

“I’m one of 5 boys, my mom was an decent baker, and for some reason, this cake was my absolute favorite cake, but everyone else in my family hated it. No one else would eat it, so the only time she really made it, was for my birthday. Every single year, that cake marked my birthday.

When I became an adult I wanted to start making it, and I was crushed to find out it was discontinued. Last week I found your recipe, and I’ve made it twice. It’s so incredibly good, but more than that, every single bite somehow takes me back to every birthday I ever had as a kid when mom made that just for me. You know how good food can trigger wonderful memories like that? This recipe did exactly that for me.

Two days ago, we had my parents over, and I made it for my mom, and it was beyond special. It may sound corny, but having this recipe, has really added something special to my life, a direct connection to my childhood. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! It’s hard to describe, but finding this recipe, to me, is just like finding an old photo album that has pictures from every birthday I ever had as a kid. It’s exactly that special, that powerful. I feel like I had lost a photo album that had every picture of me as a kid, and then I just found it. It’s hard for me to describe, but you probably know what I mean.

This recipe was such a gift to me, you can’t imagine!! I’m 51. I’ll make this cake at least 200 times before I’m gone, and every single time I do, every bite I take, I’ll remember what it was like to be 10 years old again, when the whole day revolved around my birthday. I want to be buried with this cake.”

Please know that I read every one of my messages and comments myself, and I appreciate it so much when you take the time to share your stories with me. 

 
Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake - An Affair from the Heart
 

Love it? Pin it! 

Don’t forget where you found the recipe for this Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go, to find it easily!
 
 
 
A fork with a bite of the COCONUT CREAM POKE CAKE WITH COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING next to the slice of cake on a white plate
 

Hungry for more Coconut Recipes?

My husband comes by his love of coconut honestly. His dad was the biggest coconut lover I had ever had the pleasure of knowing. So if you want to see all of the coconut recipes on my blog, simply search the word “coconut” to see them all. But here are some of my favorites!

 

 

 Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake
 
So, now that I have done all of the trial and error for you, you can have this age-old cake that I have had SO MANY tell me “used to be their favorite until it was gone.”  Enjoy!
 
 
M.
 
 
Yield: 16

Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake

close up of Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake

Rich chocolate bundt cake with a coconut tunnel inside. Drizzled with both chocolate and vanilla icing. Just like that age old mix time forgot.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • One Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix- prepared according to box instructions

For the Filling

  • 2 egg whites
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 cups flaked coconut
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 2 Tablespoons Milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • For chocolate glaze you can add 2 Tablespoons of cocoa to the above mixture.
  • (I glaze with both flavors. Because did I mention how good that puddle of icing in the middle is?!?!)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Prepare cake mix as per box instructions. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, with a fork quickly mix egg whites. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix again. Stir in coconut and flour.
  4. Pour about ½ of the cake mix into your bundt pan. (see photo in blog post) Now spoon filling in a "tunnel" on top of the batter. Be careful not to let the filling touch the pan. Now pour and evenly cover the tunnel with the rest of the batter.
  5. Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool in pan for 20-30 minutes and turn onto a plate to cool the rest of the way.
  7. Drizzle with frosting if you desire.

Notes

You can mix up the glaze per the recipe instructions, but I always use this short cut:

Microwave about 1/3 cup of each vanilla and chocolate frosting in a can in 30 second intervals, until it's warm but not hot. Using a spoon, drizzle it over the cooled cake and allow it to set. I use both chocolate and vanilla frosting. Sprinkle with some shredded coconut to decorate the top.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 159Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 59mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 1g

Please note that nutrition is not guaranteed accurate.

© Michaela Kenkel
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you make this recipe, I’d love to know! Snap a picture, share the photo on social media with the hashtag #AnAffairFromTheHeart – I’d love to see what you made! – Michaela

About Michaela Kenkel

Hey, I am Michaela! My husband and I have been married for over three decades. I am a Mom to 6 human kids and two fur babies, and now, a grandma to one sweet little boy! I am a lover of gift-giving, traveling, spending time by the water, and entertaining. My family (and my close circle of friends that feel like family) are the most important thing on earth! I am enjoying and living my life as the best person I can be!

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Comments

  6. says

    This is one of my favorite cakes, ever. It’s not only perfect for the holiday season but also for any special occasion or just to celebrate life. I agree with everyone else, chocolate and coconut were made for each other! Fantastic job, yet once again!!!

    Reply

  9. says

    I can’t say enough about this cake. I love mounds and almond joy candy bars so this is right up my alley. It is stunning and I think I might have to make two of these because I am going to eat a whole one myself!

    Reply

  24. Skratazoid says

    For ingredients, is the flaked coconut unsweetened? I would think so, since you are adding sugar to the filling. I have sweetened flaked coconut, so I’m trying to figure out how to adjust the sugar.

    Thanks 🙂

    Reply

  25. Danielle says

    You say to drizzle with frosting if you desire. Well the topping you made in the pictures is a huge part of the appeal of the cake! I’ve never frosted a cake before. I don’t know what to do to make it look or taste as good as yours. Could you please add instructions for this? Pretty please?!

    Reply

    • says

      Danielle – I am sorry! I shouldn’t assume! Honestly, I usually buy a can of chocolate and a can of vanilla frosting. I heat about 1/2 cup of each in the microwave for a few seconds to get it to where it pours easily. (not soupy!!) Start with one and then overlay the other, dust it with sweetened coconut flakes to finish it off. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  26. says

    I was looking for a cake recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this!

    Reply

  29. spring keasler says

    My husband and I will celebrate our 46th anniversary next Saturday. We made this bundt cake while we were dating, and after we were first married. I’m going to surprise him with this cake!

    Reply

  30. says

    Fourth recipe I tried to match the old box mix for this — this is the one! Made for a group get together and it was a huge hit. I did double the coconut filling recipe (we love the coconut part) and it worked perfectly. I also added one drop of coconut flavoring in the white/chocolate frosting. This has been added to my favorite recipes list! Thank you!!

    Reply

  31. Irina says

    OMG, this cake is mouthwatering! I love this chocolate and vanilla icing on top. I will definitely try this out! 🙂

    Reply

  32. Kay says

    I was very excited to find your recipe. I too loved this mix and was sad when it went away. I made this cake today and it was just like I remembered it. Thank you!!!

    Reply

  33. Kimberlyn Arispe says

    Thank you for all of your efforts in making this available to us! I remember this cake – it was one of my favorites!
    I look forward to making it soon for the holidays.

    Again, thank you!

    Reply

  34. Marianne says

    Yay!! I’m totally with your husband. I think you did it! My sister alway asked for the Pillsbury chocolate macaroon Bundt cake for her birthday and when they stopped making them we tried to copy it. Not ever really successful. But we used your recipe mostly for her birthday this Sunday and she’s crazy picky but said it was just what she remembered. I made the cake with a Devils food box mix and added 8 oz. of sour cream, 1/2 c warm water, 1/2 c vegetable oil, 1 pkg instant Jello chocolate pudding, 3 eggs. Then followed the rest with fine grated coconut in the filling. And it was perfect, moist dense Bundt cake. Thanks for the research! Yummm

    Reply

  36. Terry Adkins says

    The flour in the filling, is it self rising or all purpose? This was my husband favorite cake way back then.

    Reply

  37. Jacqueline Parrow says

    Thank you! I too LOVED that bundt cake mix. I was so disappointed when it disappeared, My all-time favorite. I will defiantly be making this!

    Reply

  38. Linda S Breunig says

    Several years ago the companies changed the size of cake mixes from 18.25 oz to 15.25oz. Does your recipe use the old larger size mix or the “new” size? Usually I just add extra cake mix and adjust to make a 18.25oz. For a regular cake I can just use the box but for some old recipes that use cake mix as a starting point the new sizes are too small. The adjustments work well for the old pudding bundt cake recpies.

    Reply

  39. Shelley says

    I asked my husband what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday. He described a cake his Mom’s used to make from a box, “round chocolate cake with a white center that tasted like coconut”. Well I googled it and there it was a box mix exactly as he described but it is no longer in production. Then I found your recipe. His birthday is today and the cake is setting on the counter waiting for him to get home from work. Thank you for posting this recipe.

    Reply

  40. Beth says

    We love this cake. In fact I just made it for my book club and they devoured it. Not one piece left. Boy was my husband disappointed.

    Reply

    • says

      Ha! I know mine would have been!! His birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, so I will be making it for him — I bet he’s already thinking about it! 😉 So happy that you and your friends enjoyed it!

      Reply

  42. Janet blazer says

    I will make this cake for a birthday celebration at a retirement apartments for Feb birthdays. My husband of 56 years birthday is next week. A group of us get together week days for coffee and socialization. I think the group will go crazy. Also I will make one for celebrating with out daughter. She was a teen when this cake was popular. She would eat the tunnel after it was cut. We often laugh and tell the story of the tunnel bandate. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  43. Natalie says

    This chocolate cake is absolutely genius! I love the flavors combination and it looks amazing ♥ Can’t wait to try this recipe.

    Reply

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