Double Apple Bundt Drop

I drop things. I break things. I forget things. I lose things. Sometimes I break things and then lose them. I'm looking at you, one earring.
Anyway, it was just one of those days, and I made a cake. And it smelled delicious. And I was pretty sure it was going to taste delicious. And then I dropped it.

Busy Day Cake

Between work and school and all my time spent in the kitchen, any recipe titled "Busy Day Cake" is bound to catch my eye. And it did.
From Edna Lewis' "The Taste of Country Cooking," this Busy Day Cake is designed to be thrown together in a few minutes, and then topped with whatever fruit or jam you have lying around.
I certainly managed to throw it together quickly, but after my friends and I each sampled it with our favorite toppings - jam, frosting, ganache - I wasn't all that impressed. But I don't know if it was something I did, or just the recipe.
I wasn't supposed to bake it in a bundt tin, but I did anyway. Perhaps it cooked too quickly in here? I also substituted cinnamon for the nutmeg, but that's more of a personal thing. Maybe I'm just too used to complicated cakes with mix-ins and fillings and frostings and icing and glazes? Not sure. Perhaps I just left it in the oven too long and will never know the goodness of this cake? The mystery continues...

Either way, this cake was nothing to write home about. Good thing blogs don't need stamps.

Tip of the Day: Butter softens best sitting out for an hour at room temperature, but if you need to speed it up use the microwave, but make sure to put it on a lower setting or a "soften" setting or you'll end up with melted butter.

Recipe:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
2 cups flour
3 tsps baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 good pinch freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup milk, at room temperature

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one by one, until well mixed. Add in the vanilla.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
Add about 1/4 of the flour mixture to the batter and beat together.
Add 1/3 of the milk, and then alternate adding the flour and milk until all mixed.
Bake in a 9x9" pan for 30 to 35 minutes on 375F.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake Collapse

Before our short Chanukah interlude, I was discussing bundts, and how they often have some difficulty dropping out of the pan. Well, that was nothing compared to this cake. Though perhaps, this was my fault.

I set out to make a chocolate peanut butter bundt cake. But, as I am super human (duh), I decided not to follow a specific recipe, but to mix and match several recipes and create my own, supercalafragilisticexpialidocious chocolate peanut butter cake.

That didn't go so well.

I made the chocolate batter, and made the peanut butter filling. After putting about half the batter in, I piped the peanut butter filling and covered it with the rest of the batter.
I assumed it would sink a little, but I didn't know it would make it all the way through and stick to the bottom of my pan.
So I was nervous from the start about it coming out, despite the fact that I greased it well.
I tried my best to loosen it with a knife, running it around the edge. I then flipped it over, holding my breath, hoping for the best.
The best did not happen. This is the bottom half of the cake.

And never the twain shall meet.

Well...not on my watch.
So after I managed to reassemble the Frankenstein cake, I still knew I couldn't serve it like this.

But, with a little frosting....
Ok a lot of frosting...
...I had a masterpiece! Ok, well, a somewhat presentable cake. That still tasted delicious.

Now, I'm definitely not going to give you the recipe I followed, here are some you can try yourself if this gives you a hankering for a chocolate peanut butter cake:

Culinary in the Desert
Smitten Kitchen
Smells Like Home

Good luck!

Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake

Everything's better in a bundt. Right? No decoration needed, one pan, done. The only bad thing about bundts? They have to come out. Of the pan. That doesn't always work too well. And in that respect, bundts have not been my friends lately.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I"ll begin.

This is a simple, rustic recipe for apple cake. It begins with, as all good apple cakes should, fresh, cored, peeled, chopped apples. Four to be exact.
There used to be more apple, but I had to try a few pieces to make sure it was good. A piece from each apple of course. Turns out, I probably should have tried more.
Because once I'd mixed up everything else - eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon (say that in one breath) - it became apparent that there was a very large amount of apple for not much batter.
But, rather than attempt to rectify the situation, I forged on instead. And was rewarded with a beautiful smelling kitchen. And a cake that did not appear to want to leave it's cozy home.
After a brief argument [ahem, disagreement] with my mother over the best time to "decant" - while it's hot or while it's cold, I ran a knife around the edge of the cake and flipped it over, holding my breath.
After some slight coaxing and tapping there was a plop, and out popped my cake, with a few dents and bruises that remain cleverly hidden in this photo. Why I bothered to cleverly hide what I then openly shared is a question for another time. I'm complicated.

Tip of the Day: After consulting numerous internet references, the war wages on: remove a bundt when hot or cold? Experts urge both, I remain confused, Mom still thinks she won. Anyone care to weigh in?

Recipe: (adapted from The Food Librarian)

4 large green apples [I would recommend cutting 4 large apples and then eating 1]
2 eggs
3/4 c oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda

Peel, core and dice the apples.
Beat the eggs and oil together until foamy.
Stir in the sugar and vanilla.
Add in the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda.
Mix until just combined, then stir in the apples.
Pour into a well-greased bundt pan, and bake on 350F for 40 to 50 minutes, or until tests done.

Cinnamon Crown Cake

I like bundt cakes. They don't really need much decoration. A sprinkling of confectioner's sugar maybe. Even a drizzled glaze. But no mounds of frosting.
So this recipe from Bake or Break looked pretty good to me - except for one thing. It called for applesauce. And I didn't have any. After frantically contemplating suitable substitutions for the better part of ten minutes, it hit me. I have a drawer full of apples in the fridge. Why not make my own?

So I did. And it was so simple. Turns out, if you cook apples long enough with some water, they basically turn in to applesauce. Done.
Anyway, after that the cake was a cinch. The outer layer is made of flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla. Half of that goes in to the cake pan.

Then to the remainder, you add the applesauce, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon. And pour it on top (which becomes the bottom).

The only thing about bundt cakes is...getting out of the pan. I'm always nervous that I'm going to tip it out and find half of it still clinging to the sides.
I was doubly nervous since the recipe said it has a tendency to stick. Boy did I grease that pan.

Would it be so bad to leave it in?
Then there's that moment, where you turn the pan upside down, gently shaking it, hoping to see it pop cleanly out. I generally conduct this step with my eyes squinted shut, looking away. Even so, you can feel it as you hold it in your hands - if it's sticking inside, unbudging, or gently sliding out.

Moment of truth.....?
Perfect.

Now it's time to try a slice.
Every time I make a bundt cake at home, my mother and I have the same argument. She wants me to leave it upside down, because she likes the crunchy part on top. I argue it has to be inverted, that is how the shape of the cake is intended - and upside down you don't even see the curves.

Anyone care to take sides? I highly suggest you agree with me. Just sayin'.

Tip of the Day: When greasing a bundt cake it is crucial to make sure that not only the bottom and sides are well greased, but the center tube as well.

Recipe: (from Bake or Break)

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
[1/2 cup chopped nuts - I omitted]
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tsps cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla.
Beat together until well mixed.
Pour half of the batter in to a well greased bundt pan.
Stir the oats, brown sugar, applesauce cinnamon and nuts - if using - in to the remaining batter.
Pour on top in the pan.
Bake on 325 F for 50 to 60 minutes.
Cool in pan for 30 minutes, then invert on to wire rack to cool completely.

Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt Cake

This cake is good. Really, really good. And it's pretty easy too.The flavor combination of chocolate and cinnamon is pretty unique, and it is so incredibly moist in a way that many chocolate cakes aren't. Plus the bundt shape makes it pretty and presentable.This is a technique you don't see much in cakes: boiling the fat with water, and then adding it to the dry ingredients. I'm not one to pretend I know the science behind it, but it really created a very moist cake.Though I love this cake the way it is, you could definitely play with the flavorings to create something different - changing spices and extracts for new combinations.

Tip of the Day: I think of baking times for cakes as a guideline. Whatever the recipe says, its important to keep an eye on your cake (but don't open the oven too many times!) looking for done-ness with your eyes, fingers and the toothpick test. Start looking ten minutes before the stated time, and adjust baking time accordingly.

Recipe: (from The Food Librarian)

1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Bring the water, oil, butter and cocoa powder to a boil.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Pour in cocoa mixture.
Mix in the buttermilk, then the eggs one at a time, and the vanilla.
Pour into a grease bundt pan, and bake on 375F for 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 25 minutes, then invert on to a cooling rack.

Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

I'm always looking for interesting cake recipes - batters I can pour into one pan and just stick in the oven. As much as I love cookies, I don't love the constant in and out of cookie sheets in my tiny oven. This cake caught my eye. A chocolate bundt cake with a raspberry cream cheese filling. Sounds perfect.
First thing I did was to make up the cream cheese filling. Cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and chocolate chips - I had to resist from eating it all right there.
Next came the chocolate cake mix, which was thick and heavy and also passed the finger-lickin good test. I poured half the batter into the bundt pan, and then spooned the cream cheese filling on top, being careful not to let it touch the sides of the pan. I didn't end up using all the filling, since it looked like alot already. Then came the raspberries. Those also lost a few to sampling!On top of that went the remaining batter. This was one heavy cake. It was a workout just getting it into the oven, but I managed. And when it came out....it was worth it. The cake was thick and dense - almost more like a brownie than a cake - and the filling was delicious. However I did regret not using all the filling, I would have enjoyed more of it. I certainly liked what there was of it.
Tip of the Day: Fresh fruit usually works the best in baked goods, but frozen and thawed works when your berry of choice is out of season.

Recipe: (from RecipeZaar)

Cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
12 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup chocolate chips (I used 3/4 cup mini)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

Cake:
Beat eggs and sugar together until pale yellow.
Beat in melted butter, vanilla, milk and water.
Gradually mix in flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt.

Filling:
Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour half the cake batter into a greased bundt or tube pan.
Drop spoonfuls of filling over cake batter, not touching the sides. Sprinkle with raspberries.
Top with remaining cake batter.

Bake at 375 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Top with sifted powdered sugar, if desired.