Philly Fluff Cake

Preheat oven to 300°F. Coat a 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray (alternatively, lightly grease pan with butter, and dust with flour). Set aside.

Beat cream cheese, butter, and oil with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add granulated sugar and salt; beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a paring knife, carefully scrape seeds from split vanilla bean pod. With mixer running on low speed, add vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract), and beat until well combined, about 1 minute.

Place chocolate in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on 30% power for 30 seconds. Stir well, and continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until chocolate is completely melted and smooth; set aside at room temperature to cool until ready to use.

Whisk together flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with milk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating on medium speed until combined after each addition. Transfer 3 cups batter to a medium bowl (reserve remaining vanilla batter in mixer bowl), and stir in melted chocolate until combined.

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour, 40 minutes to 1 hour, 50 minutes. Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack, and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Using a fine mesh strainer, sift powdered sugar over top of cake. Cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature up to 3 days.