I am not an adventurer by choice but by fate: Bundt Cake Version
November 2, 2010 5:36 AM Subscribe
Somebody left a crazy old battered aluminum bundt cake pan on my doorstep, all neatly packaged and wrapped and tied up with li'l ol' lady knots. Now, on my own I would have lived my whole life without ever buying or acquiring a bundt cake pan. I don't even get bundt cake. Why the hole in the middle? It's never made any sense to me. However, Fortuna has apparently decided I need a bundt cake pan, so I've decided to roll with the fate thing and make a bundt cake. It is obviously your destiny to share your most fabulous bundt cake recipes and thereby unite our mystical bundt experiences for all eternity. Some restrictions apply...
I don't have access to most convenience-packaged items like boxed cake mix (I might be able to find something, but absolutely unlikely that it will be X-brand/X-type), cans of pie filling, stuff like frozen raspberries, or instant-anything like pudding — so whatever I make will need to made from scratch. Also, no chocolate chips here. Pretty much everything else, I can get, I think, and most fresh fruit is not a problem, though I might have to wait for anything out of season.
I don't have access to most convenience-packaged items like boxed cake mix (I might be able to find something, but absolutely unlikely that it will be X-brand/X-type), cans of pie filling, stuff like frozen raspberries, or instant-anything like pudding — so whatever I make will need to made from scratch. Also, no chocolate chips here. Pretty much everything else, I can get, I think, and most fresh fruit is not a problem, though I might have to wait for anything out of season.
I like to fill the hole in the middle with whipped cream.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:52 AM on November 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:52 AM on November 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
The hole creates more surface area, so that you can have a larger cake that still cooks evenly all the way through.
I've done the Epicurious Guinness Cake in a bundt, and it was a big mess, but I will have to try the Smitten Kitchen version. My personal favorite bundt uses the recipe on the inside of every wrapper of Solo almond filling.
posted by HeroZero at 6:01 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
I've done the Epicurious Guinness Cake in a bundt, and it was a big mess, but I will have to try the Smitten Kitchen version. My personal favorite bundt uses the recipe on the inside of every wrapper of Solo almond filling.
posted by HeroZero at 6:01 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Why the hole in the middle? It's never made any sense to me.
Bundt pans are awesome for amateur bakers as they cook the cake through evenly and pretty much eliminate the possibility of a sad cake with a squidgy, sunken centre.
posted by hot soup girl at 6:01 AM on November 2, 2010 [7 favorites]
Bundt pans are awesome for amateur bakers as they cook the cake through evenly and pretty much eliminate the possibility of a sad cake with a squidgy, sunken centre.
posted by hot soup girl at 6:01 AM on November 2, 2010 [7 favorites]
Coffee cake with espresso glaze and cardamom crumble is a mouthful, but hoo boy what I wouldn't give for some of that right now.
posted by knile at 6:02 AM on November 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by knile at 6:02 AM on November 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
Hey, good timing. National Bundt Pan Day is November 15th.
Here are a bunch of delightful recipes to get you started.
posted by thejoshu at 6:02 AM on November 2, 2010 [4 favorites]
Here are a bunch of delightful recipes to get you started.
posted by thejoshu at 6:02 AM on November 2, 2010 [4 favorites]
Ask your local pastry shop (or possibly liquor store) for chocolate chips and stuff like that. You can also get prepacked Betty Crocker type products at the major supermarkets, but you don't want to do that anyway.
I think the hole in the middle is a side-effect of twisting a long cake onto itsself, to maxmize the amount of cake that can fit in an oven while still maintaining optimum slicing geometry. In a disk-shaped cake, the end of a wedge-shaped slice is particularly prone to crumbling
posted by Dr Dracator at 6:03 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I think the hole in the middle is a side-effect of twisting a long cake onto itsself, to maxmize the amount of cake that can fit in an oven while still maintaining optimum slicing geometry. In a disk-shaped cake, the end of a wedge-shaped slice is particularly prone to crumbling
posted by Dr Dracator at 6:03 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh! I just read that you don't have access to pie filling. A sad, sad life you lead.
posted by HeroZero at 6:03 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by HeroZero at 6:03 AM on November 2, 2010
And if bourbon be the food of love, bake on!
posted by knile at 6:03 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by knile at 6:03 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I have made the Sweet Potato Cake recipe listed in this article about Dave Dalquist, inventor of the modern bundt pan, and can vouch for its utter deliciousness. And, of course, the Tunnel of Fudge Cake is a bundt classic.
posted by magstheaxe at 6:08 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by magstheaxe at 6:08 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
I make this lemon cake in a bundt pan (and see that Smitten Kitchen does too). It's a bit of work, but so worthwhile, especially for the few of us who aren't chocolate dessert fans!
posted by pineappleheart at 6:09 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by pineappleheart at 6:09 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I think SK's stout cake is the same as the Epicurious one, just halved.
posted by elsietheeel at 6:10 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by elsietheeel at 6:10 AM on November 2, 2010
I have nothing to add here, I just wanted to throw in that I love the idea that certain things "bundt well" and other things apparently don't. "Does it bundt well" is going to be my new "will it blend".
posted by mhoye at 6:12 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by mhoye at 6:12 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Out of the way, all of you! I have the best cake, the best cake has arrived:
RAW APPLE CAKE
One is hiding in my kitchen at this very moment, and I fear that answering this question will lead to its undoing.
posted by soma lkzx at 6:36 AM on November 2, 2010 [16 favorites]
RAW APPLE CAKE
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar (I use 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups peeled, cored, chopped apples
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Cream the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flour with soda, cinnamon, and salt, and add it gradually to the butter mixture as you beat.
- Stir in the vanilla, chopped apples, and nuts, then spoon the batter into a greased Bundt pan [note: it is going to be so thick you will think you've done something wrong. you haven't!] Bake 1 hour, or until the sides of the cak ebegin to come away from the pan. Cool in the pan.
One is hiding in my kitchen at this very moment, and I fear that answering this question will lead to its undoing.
posted by soma lkzx at 6:36 AM on November 2, 2010 [16 favorites]
Sock It To Me Cake - crazy name, delicious cake!
My mom is the worst.baker.ever. and not even she can ruin this cake.
Sock-It-To-Me Cake from bakingbites.com
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vegetable oil and the eggs, adding one in at a time. Mix in vanilla extract.
Working in two or three alternating additions, stir in the flour mixture and the sour cream, making sure to end with an addition of the flour. Mix only until no streaks of dry ingredients remain visible.
In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon, brown sugar and toasted pecans.
Add half of the cake batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Top evenly with cinnamon mixture, then spread the rest of the cake batter on top.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake completely in the pan, on a wire rack. When cool, drizzle with cinnamon glaze.
Serves 12
Cinnamon Glaze
2 tbsp milk
approx 1 cup confectioner sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If glaze is too thick to drizzle easily, add a bit more milk. If glaze is too thin, add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar.
posted by prettymightyflighty at 6:44 AM on November 2, 2010 [5 favorites]
My mom is the worst.baker.ever. and not even she can ruin this cake.
Sock-It-To-Me Cake from bakingbites.com
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vegetable oil and the eggs, adding one in at a time. Mix in vanilla extract.
Working in two or three alternating additions, stir in the flour mixture and the sour cream, making sure to end with an addition of the flour. Mix only until no streaks of dry ingredients remain visible.
In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon, brown sugar and toasted pecans.
Add half of the cake batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Top evenly with cinnamon mixture, then spread the rest of the cake batter on top.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake completely in the pan, on a wire rack. When cool, drizzle with cinnamon glaze.
Serves 12
Cinnamon Glaze
2 tbsp milk
approx 1 cup confectioner sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If glaze is too thick to drizzle easily, add a bit more milk. If glaze is too thin, add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar.
posted by prettymightyflighty at 6:44 AM on November 2, 2010 [5 favorites]
My favourite chocolate cardamom bundt cake (I find the ganache is too much for the cake).
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
6 ounces chocolate (semi-sweet) semi-sweet,
2 cups flour, all-purpose sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom seeds ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 325 and butter (do not flour) 10 inch bundt pan.
Cream butter and sugar well and beat in eggs thoroughly.
Add melted chocolate and mix well.
Sift together dry ingredients in separate bowl and alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to the chocolate mixture, beating well after each addition until batter is very smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan, distributing evening with rubber spatula.
Bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, then turn over and release onto rack to finish cooling.
posted by jeather at 6:45 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
6 ounces chocolate (semi-sweet) semi-sweet,
2 cups flour, all-purpose sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom seeds ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 325 and butter (do not flour) 10 inch bundt pan.
Cream butter and sugar well and beat in eggs thoroughly.
Add melted chocolate and mix well.
Sift together dry ingredients in separate bowl and alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to the chocolate mixture, beating well after each addition until batter is very smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan, distributing evening with rubber spatula.
Bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, then turn over and release onto rack to finish cooling.
posted by jeather at 6:45 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Do you have sweet potatoes? This sweet potato bundt cake with glaze is delicious.
posted by barnone at 6:51 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by barnone at 6:51 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Seconding the Sock-It-To-Me Cake. My mom is a fabulous baker, and this is one of her signature cakes that she brings to all family events. I suggest doubling the glaze because Boy Howdy! this is good cake and the glaze just makes it even better. God, I love the holidays!
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:53 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:53 AM on November 2, 2010
I have a bundt pan for exactly one purpose - making gefilte fish rings. (Besides, after that, do you really *want* to bake a cake in it? Mmm... Nothing like vaguely fish-scented chocolate marble cake...)
I base my recipe off of the one in the NY Times Passover cookbook. (Yes, there is one.) Any standard recipe from the intarwebs will do, though. The change in surface area provided by the pan's shape is what makes it work. I like using 2 parts tilapia to one part salmon, done up in a food processor. (Only good use for tilapia, as far as I'm concerned.)
How's that for thinking out of the, um, ring mold?
posted by Citrus at 6:54 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
I base my recipe off of the one in the NY Times Passover cookbook. (Yes, there is one.) Any standard recipe from the intarwebs will do, though. The change in surface area provided by the pan's shape is what makes it work. I like using 2 parts tilapia to one part salmon, done up in a food processor. (Only good use for tilapia, as far as I'm concerned.)
How's that for thinking out of the, um, ring mold?
posted by Citrus at 6:54 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
This story really makes me want to leave random baking pans on random doorsteps.
I suggest this one. Its easy to make and lemon cake is great year round.
posted by halseyaa at 7:21 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
I suggest this one. Its easy to make and lemon cake is great year round.
posted by halseyaa at 7:21 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
If you can find a can of pumpkin puree (not pie filling, just plain old smooshed up pumpkin), you can make this:
Vaguely-Reminiscent-of-Carrot-Cake Pumpkin Cake
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (safflower's good, & I plan to try coconut)
1 can (~1lb) pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves or allspice
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups walnut or pecan pieces
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease/flour a bundt pan.
Maple Rum Icing
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons dark rum
Cream the butter, sugar, and cornstarch together. Stir in the salt and maple syrup until the icing is thick. Add the rum and stir until completely smooth. (If I'm going to drizzle this over a bundt, I use a tablespoon or so of hot water to thin it.)
posted by catlet at 7:32 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Vaguely-Reminiscent-of-Carrot-Cake Pumpkin Cake
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (safflower's good, & I plan to try coconut)
1 can (~1lb) pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves or allspice
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups walnut or pecan pieces
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease/flour a bundt pan.
- Whisk the eggs with a large fork until blended.
- Mix in the sugar.
- Add the oil in a steady stream while whisking the mixture, until it is smooth and thickened.
- Mix in the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves/allspice, and salt.
- Add baking soda and baking powder in pinches, making sure to crush any lumps with your fingers; stir soda & powder in thoroughly.
- Stir in flours, just until blended (do not overbeat the batter).
- Stir in the nuts.
- Scrape batter into bundt.
- Bake 45-50 minutes until a knife/straw/testing-thing inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
- Invert, remove pan, and cool on rack for 15 minutes more before slicing.
Maple Rum Icing
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons dark rum
Cream the butter, sugar, and cornstarch together. Stir in the salt and maple syrup until the icing is thick. Add the rum and stir until completely smooth. (If I'm going to drizzle this over a bundt, I use a tablespoon or so of hot water to thin it.)
posted by catlet at 7:32 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread is my all-time favorite cake. Freezes beautifully, needs very little accompaniment, and still comes out just fine if you unwittingly tweak the recipe :P It's sophisticated but easy and very popular.
posted by Madamina at 7:38 AM on November 2, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by Madamina at 7:38 AM on November 2, 2010 [4 favorites]
soma lkzx's cake is basically the same as what my family calls "apple pound cake," and it will change your life. Skip the pecans, double the vanilla. It was my wedding cake, it would be my birthday cake every year if I liked birthdays, I serve it to friends every chance I get. It is a transformational cake. Make it. Now. Do it.
posted by that's candlepin at 7:51 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by that's candlepin at 7:51 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
You can also try making Kugelhopf au Lard, if you're in the mood for something savory.
posted by Lycaste at 7:55 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Lycaste at 7:55 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Marbled Banana Bundt Cake. It's lighter than banana bread, but still very moist thanks to sour cream. The chocolate swirl in the centre means it goes well with coffee.
- - -
Also, this recipe from my stepmom is a good weekend breakfast dessert - not too heavy, with a nice cinnamon crusty top and a bit of melted chocolate in the centre:
Coffee Cake
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. natural yogurt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. margarine
2 eggs
2/3 c. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 c. unbleached flour
In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, chocolate chips and cinnamon; set aside. In a separate bowl combine the yogurt and baking soda; set aside.
In a large bowl cream the margarine, eggs, white sugar and vanilla. Beat well until light and fluffy. Sift or mix flour and baking powder; add and beat well.
Pour 1/3 of the batter into a Bundt pan or 9" square baking pan. Add 1/2 of the brown sugar mix and the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter over this, then top with the rest of the brown sugar mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
This also works with half whole wheat flour or half kamut flour.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:11 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
- - -
Also, this recipe from my stepmom is a good weekend breakfast dessert - not too heavy, with a nice cinnamon crusty top and a bit of melted chocolate in the centre:
Coffee Cake
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. natural yogurt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. margarine
2 eggs
2/3 c. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 c. unbleached flour
In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, chocolate chips and cinnamon; set aside. In a separate bowl combine the yogurt and baking soda; set aside.
In a large bowl cream the margarine, eggs, white sugar and vanilla. Beat well until light and fluffy. Sift or mix flour and baking powder; add and beat well.
Pour 1/3 of the batter into a Bundt pan or 9" square baking pan. Add 1/2 of the brown sugar mix and the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter over this, then top with the rest of the brown sugar mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
This also works with half whole wheat flour or half kamut flour.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:11 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
mhoye: When I typed that I was imagining some sort of baseball scenario, actually. Dickey Pearce bunts well!
But seriously, some cake recipes can't stand up to a bundt pan, especially one with fancy designs. I have a beautiful chrysanthemum bundt pan that I still haven't found a good cake recipe for. No matter how much I oil, butter, flour or a combination of all three, I still get bits that stick and then I don't have a perfect chrysanthemum shaped cake. :(
posted by elsietheeel at 8:14 AM on November 2, 2010
But seriously, some cake recipes can't stand up to a bundt pan, especially one with fancy designs. I have a beautiful chrysanthemum bundt pan that I still haven't found a good cake recipe for. No matter how much I oil, butter, flour or a combination of all three, I still get bits that stick and then I don't have a perfect chrysanthemum shaped cake. :(
posted by elsietheeel at 8:14 AM on November 2, 2010
I'm not at work, but my mom makes an amazing blueberry babka that sounds sort of like the sock-it-to-me cake but with blueberries added. However, while searching for a babka recipe I did find this tasty-sounding chocolate babka.
posted by ldthomps at 8:25 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by ldthomps at 8:25 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Here is a monkey bread recipe that doesn't use refrigerated biscuits, which you probably don't have access to.
(If you haven't guessed, Smitten Kitchen is pretty much the best cooking blog on the ENTIRE INTERNET.)
posted by elsietheeel at 8:27 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
(If you haven't guessed, Smitten Kitchen is pretty much the best cooking blog on the ENTIRE INTERNET.)
posted by elsietheeel at 8:27 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
A variation of my grandmother's Apricot Nectar Cake - very light and tasty, not too sweet, makes an excellent breakfast.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 8:38 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 8:38 AM on November 2, 2010
elsietheeel: I have a Nordic baking pan, too, only mine is the castle one. My cakes never stick at all! I swear by baking sprays that include flour and butter all in one, like Baker's Joy (my favorite) or this one from Pillsbury. You can pick them up in the grocery store.
posted by misha at 9:17 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by misha at 9:17 AM on November 2, 2010
(The bundt pan is one of the amazing gifts to the world given by the great state of Minnesota, and was in the MN 150 exhibit last year: http://discovery.mnhs.org/MN150/index.php?title=Bundt_Pan.)
Has to be lemon poppy with icing on top.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:24 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Has to be lemon poppy with icing on top.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:24 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Amanda Hesser's Dump-It Cake is easy and so very delicious. The frosting calls for chocolate chips, but chopped chocolate works beautifully.
posted by annaramma at 10:24 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by annaramma at 10:24 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Blueberry buckwheat
Apple
Whiskey-soaked dark chocolate (gets my vote)
Sweet potato (not as good as it should be, maybe find a different recipe? I've made delicious sweet potato muffins with candied ginger, Deborah Madison's vegetarian recipe, and think it could translate well)
And I know you mentioned ingredients that you can't get, but if ever you're somewhere you can you should totally make the classic 1950s or whatever rum cake from the back of the Bacardi label. It's pretty much boxed yellow cake mix made super spongey and thicker, moister with pudding and other stuff, and then you make a syrup with rum and spend at least a day pricking the baked cake and pouring rum over it over and over until the thing's densely alcoholic and heady like fruitcake. So good.
Also: pretty much anything that works well in a muffin, loaf cake, or pound or coffee-type cake sort of structure will likely do fine in a bundt pan. Stickier/wetter cakes may involve lots of prepping the pan so unmolding is successful, but otherwise it should be fine. I made an ad libbed cake last summer involving Ina Garten's lemon cake recipe with St. Germain liqueur added similar to rum cake (both in the batter and then soaked up like a sponge after baking). There's a chocolate cardamom cake that's been floating around AskMe for about a year or so that I did Valentine's Day in a bundt cake; it was super tasty. But really, the sky's the limit--very few scratch old-timey cake recipes can't be made in a bundt shape.
posted by ifjuly at 10:34 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Apple
Whiskey-soaked dark chocolate (gets my vote)
Sweet potato (not as good as it should be, maybe find a different recipe? I've made delicious sweet potato muffins with candied ginger, Deborah Madison's vegetarian recipe, and think it could translate well)
And I know you mentioned ingredients that you can't get, but if ever you're somewhere you can you should totally make the classic 1950s or whatever rum cake from the back of the Bacardi label. It's pretty much boxed yellow cake mix made super spongey and thicker, moister with pudding and other stuff, and then you make a syrup with rum and spend at least a day pricking the baked cake and pouring rum over it over and over until the thing's densely alcoholic and heady like fruitcake. So good.
Also: pretty much anything that works well in a muffin, loaf cake, or pound or coffee-type cake sort of structure will likely do fine in a bundt pan. Stickier/wetter cakes may involve lots of prepping the pan so unmolding is successful, but otherwise it should be fine. I made an ad libbed cake last summer involving Ina Garten's lemon cake recipe with St. Germain liqueur added similar to rum cake (both in the batter and then soaked up like a sponge after baking). There's a chocolate cardamom cake that's been floating around AskMe for about a year or so that I did Valentine's Day in a bundt cake; it was super tasty. But really, the sky's the limit--very few scratch old-timey cake recipes can't be made in a bundt shape.
posted by ifjuly at 10:34 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I prefer Bundt cake to layer cake. It does cook through nicely, but my favorite thing is that icing becomes optional. The nice crusty top it develops is enough to make it feel finished, and a dusting of confectioners' sugar is sometimes all some recipes need. If you want to get more fancy, you can make a quick glaze. But they really don't require icing in the way layer cakes and sheet cakes sort of seem to do.
posted by Miko at 11:43 AM on November 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by Miko at 11:43 AM on November 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
Oh, ifjuly reminded me of my other favorite Bundt cake: Kentucky Butter Cake. It's also one of those cakes where you leave it in the pan for a while, poke holes in it, and perform multiple applications of a vanilla-butter sauce. (I've added brandy or whiskey to the sauce with magical yumminess.)
posted by catlet at 3:12 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by catlet at 3:12 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh my goodness, you have to make the BEST RUM CAKE *EVER*!!!
I know the recipe is weird and scary with its pudding mix, but this stuff is fantastic.
posted by smirkette at 5:41 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I know the recipe is weird and scary with its pudding mix, but this stuff is fantastic.
posted by smirkette at 5:41 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm going to second the monkey bread recommendation, but I make the one from the Scharffenberger cookbook, which has nuts and chocolate.
posted by novalis_dt at 9:33 PM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by novalis_dt at 9:33 PM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Seconding the Tunnel of Fudge cake, my all-time favorite. This version won the bake-off contest, way back when. Mmmm.
posted by exphysicist345 at 9:39 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by exphysicist345 at 9:39 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
My top recommendation would also be the Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread mentioned above. Insanely good.
The Guiness Choc cake is also very good, and I'm also a big fan of Bacardi Rum Cake.
posted by purenitrous at 10:03 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
The Guiness Choc cake is also very good, and I'm also a big fan of Bacardi Rum Cake.
posted by purenitrous at 10:03 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Most cakes intended to be baked in a bundt pan are very heavy and wouldn't cook properly in a regular pan. The division of the batter increases the amount of batter exposed to the hot sides of the pan, allowing the heavy cake to lift.
posted by Foam Pants at 11:23 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Foam Pants at 11:23 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
This marzipan almond cake by Nigella Lawson looks like it would be readily bundt cake tin adaptable. It is super easy to make (use an electric whisk if you don't have a food processor), contains absolutely nothing that's good for you, and is A+++ WOULD NOM AGAIN delicious.
Recipe copied from over here:
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons softend unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons softened marzipan
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almont extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs
1 cup self-rising cake flour
10-inch springform tube pan or patterned ring mold, buttered and floured
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Chop the butter and marzipan to make them easier to break down, and put them in the bowl of the food processor, fitted with the metal blade, with the sugar. Process until combined and pretty well smooth. Add almond and vanilla extracts, process again, then break the eggs one at a time through the funnel, processing again each time. Mix the flour and tip down the funnel, processing yet again, and then pour the mixture into the prepared pan, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 50 minutes, but check from 40. Then, when the cake looks golden and cooked and a cake tester or fine skewer comes out cleanish, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan before turning out. (This is when you will be feeling grateful if it's the springform you're using.)
posted by the cat's pyjamas at 2:48 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Recipe copied from over here:
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons softend unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons softened marzipan
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almont extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs
1 cup self-rising cake flour
10-inch springform tube pan or patterned ring mold, buttered and floured
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Chop the butter and marzipan to make them easier to break down, and put them in the bowl of the food processor, fitted with the metal blade, with the sugar. Process until combined and pretty well smooth. Add almond and vanilla extracts, process again, then break the eggs one at a time through the funnel, processing again each time. Mix the flour and tip down the funnel, processing yet again, and then pour the mixture into the prepared pan, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 50 minutes, but check from 40. Then, when the cake looks golden and cooked and a cake tester or fine skewer comes out cleanish, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan before turning out. (This is when you will be feeling grateful if it's the springform you're using.)
posted by the cat's pyjamas at 2:48 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'm embracing you all in a MIGHTY BUNDT HUG!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for the recipes, and the education about bundt pans, and a special thanks to Dr Dracator for turning me on to a potential source of chocolate chips (I knew I could turn to him for questions about life, the universe and everything — I just didn't realize "everything" included chocolate chips in Athens. Leave it to a physicist.)
I'm going to start with the awesome Raw Apple Cake so I can put it away for a week or two, and then immediately make... oh, I can't decide! The Chocolate Stout, Chocolate Cardamon, or Tunnel of Fudge would make my husband very happy... but then, omg, gingerbread! and... oooh! Reminiscent-of-Carrot-Cake Pumpkin Cake! (I'd need to make my own pumpkin puree, but... just cook and puree some pumpkin, right?).
Anyway, I'm going to try to make each of these over time. Behold what the mystical mystery bundt pan hath wrought!
posted by taz at 3:22 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm going to start with the awesome Raw Apple Cake so I can put it away for a week or two, and then immediately make... oh, I can't decide! The Chocolate Stout, Chocolate Cardamon, or Tunnel of Fudge would make my husband very happy... but then, omg, gingerbread! and... oooh! Reminiscent-of-Carrot-Cake Pumpkin Cake! (I'd need to make my own pumpkin puree, but... just cook and puree some pumpkin, right?).
Anyway, I'm going to try to make each of these over time. Behold what the mystical mystery bundt pan hath wrought!
posted by taz at 3:22 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Are you sure that's a bundt pan? It looks a bit like a gelatin mold. I'm pissing on your parade, aren't I...
posted by Foam Pants at 11:25 PM on November 3, 2010
posted by Foam Pants at 11:25 PM on November 3, 2010
Response by poster: Wachoo talkin' 'bout Foam Pants?! My answer is that is has to be a bundt pan, because I ain't making no aspic. :)
But, anyway... I'm thinking jello ring molds usually have a larger hole? I still haven't tested it though because we still have French Yogurt Cake, and also, I haven't been to the grocery. I will report, though!
By the way, I have to share a bundt recipe that I just came across (while searching something unrelated, actually), that sounds awesome, though I don't know if I'll ever be brave enough for chiffon: Glazed Clementine Chiffon Cake.
posted by taz at 2:36 AM on November 4, 2010
But, anyway... I'm thinking jello ring molds usually have a larger hole? I still haven't tested it though because we still have French Yogurt Cake, and also, I haven't been to the grocery. I will report, though!
By the way, I have to share a bundt recipe that I just came across (while searching something unrelated, actually), that sounds awesome, though I don't know if I'll ever be brave enough for chiffon: Glazed Clementine Chiffon Cake.
posted by taz at 2:36 AM on November 4, 2010
Response by poster: Actually, Wrong. It's for a Tube Pan, which I'm seeing is different. I think a tube pan has a removable bottom. I wish I had a removable bottom.
posted by taz at 2:44 AM on November 4, 2010
posted by taz at 2:44 AM on November 4, 2010
Response by poster: I made the Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread from Madamina's link last night. It's delicious! The batter is really, really liquidy so I was worried that something was wrong, but it came out great. Except for the part where my husband absent-mindedly turned off the oven at some point before it finished baking, and I had to sort of guess when to take it out after that. I took it out after a testing knife came out clean, but it's a tiny bit undercooked and wouldn't come out of the pan (which... well, with this pan I have serious doubts if it ever would, despite all my greasing and flouring). But it's excellent, especially if you want to try a great "cake-y" gingerbread.
posted by taz at 12:43 AM on November 8, 2010
posted by taz at 12:43 AM on November 8, 2010
Getting it out of the pan is, I think, just part of the Bundt Cake lifestyle. Here are my tips. First, you really don't want to stint on the buttering of the pan. Make sure you've covered every little ridge and valley. Then, when the cake is baked, it has to cool completely - and I mean completely, and I'm the worst offender in this regard. I always want my cake NOW and can barely wait an hour to get the thing out, and often that's not enough because it retains heat so well. So if you can cool it for several hours or overnight, that helps a lot because the cake shrinks a little as it cools. I always give it a hopeful little 'test' first by just inverting it over a plate and hoping it will drop out perfectly formed. that never happens, but is worth a shot. Put the plate over the cake pan with the pan still right side up, and then flip cake + pan upside down together, so the plate is on the bottom. That way half of the cake doesn't break and fall out onto the plate. OK, if that doesn't work, and for me usually it doesn't, I do the following - tap with the blunt end of a dinner knife all along the top of the inverted pan. Try again. If the cake doesn't come out of the pan, flip it back over again and use a wooden skewer or the knife to gently lever the sides of the cake away from the sides of the pan. This lets some air in and breaks any little bits of cake which are kind of gluing the whole cake to the pan. Go around once, then twice a little deeper, and definitely go around the middle tube which is usually where it's sticking the worst. Then invert it over the plate again. Tap some more of necessary.
Some combination of the prying and tapping usually frees the cake without too much force. This is the only downside of the Bundt pan, but I'm willing to deal because I think the texture is worth it.
posted by Miko at 7:57 AM on November 8, 2010 [3 favorites]
Some combination of the prying and tapping usually frees the cake without too much force. This is the only downside of the Bundt pan, but I'm willing to deal because I think the texture is worth it.
posted by Miko at 7:57 AM on November 8, 2010 [3 favorites]
Bundt batters are often liquidier than normal cake batters, so don't worry about that--that's what makes bundts so lovely, how much moister they can be with a nicely crusted outer layer, mmm.
posted by ifjuly at 8:01 AM on November 8, 2010
posted by ifjuly at 8:01 AM on November 8, 2010
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posted by elsietheeel at 5:49 AM on November 2, 2010 [3 favorites]