Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a full size (12-cup) Bundt or tube pan.

To make the cake: Place the cake mix in a bowl. Beat in the oil, vanilla, and 1 egg. Add the remaining eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the water 1/3 at a time, beating until smooth and scraping the bowl after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with perhaps crumbs clinging to it, but no wet batter.

Remove the cake from the oven, and after 15 minutes turn it out onto a rack.

To make the glaze: Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan set over low heat. Stir in the corn syrup, cocoa, water, vanilla, espresso powder, and salt. Heat and stir until the salt dissolves.

Mix in enough confectioners' sugar to make a glaze with the consistency of thick molasses; you may not need the entire 2 cups.

Transfer the cake to a serving plate; if it's still a bit warm, that's OK.

Spoon the glaze over the cake, covering it as thoroughly as possible. Reheat the glaze briefly if it becomes too thick to pour. Yield: 1 large cake, about 16 servings.