Bundt Cakes for Fall

 There's something about Bundt cakes that make them seem more special than a sheet pan cake. Thier decorative shape and denser texture make the same ingredients into a party time treat. Bundt cakes are baked in a tubed circular pan invented in the mid 1950s by Nordic wear that continues to carry the name even when baked in other brand's pans. A Tunnel of Fudge cake entered in the 1966 Pillbury BakeOff contest caught home bakers attention and the inverted fluted shape has been popular since. 

This fall Southern Living magazine featured some Bundt cakes in their food section. So when I needed cakes for church coffee time and other events, I tried two of them. The recipes are 'keepers' in my book. l like bundt cakes to serve because of the decorative look they have but also because they don't require frosting, just a glaze dribbled over the top is good. Bundt cakes are a little more dense and easy to serve because of the greater amount of batter exposed to the pan sides, making a darker browned crust. 

Here are the two recipes I recommend:

APPLE CIDER-DOUGHNUT BUNDT CAKE         

 ½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, divided

1 cup unsalted butter, softened and divided

3 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

 3 cups all-purpose flour  (300 grams)

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. baking soda

2 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided

1 ¼ tsp. ground ginger, divided

¾ tsp. grated fresh nutmeg, divided

1 cup apple cider

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

 

1.     Preheat the oven to 350 °. Coat a 10-12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray and set aside. 

2.     Beat brown sugar 1 cup of the granulated sugar, and ¾ cup of butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. With mixer on low speed add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla until just combined. 

3.     Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of the ginger, and ½ teaspoon of the nutmeg in a large bowl until combined.  Stir together apple cider and applesauce in a small bowl until just combined. 

4.     With mixer on low-speed, add flour mixture and apple cider mixture alternately to butter mixture beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beating until just combined after each addition and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer batter to prepared pan. 

5.     Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack and remove pan. 

6.     Microwave remaining ¼ cup butter in a small heatproof bowl on high until melted, about 30 seconds. 

7.     Stir together the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon each ginger and nutmeg in a small bowl until combined. Set cake on a wire rack over a large, rimmed baking sheet. Brush warm cake with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar mixture; repeat with any excess from baking sheet until all cinnamon-sugar mixture is used, pressing gently to adhere to cake. Let cool completely on wire rack about 2 hours. Store cake in an airtight container in refrigerator or at room temperature up to 3 days. 

12 servings

From Southern Living  November 2024

MAPLE-GLAZED PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE    

 

Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour (360 grams)

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground allspice

¾ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. baking powder

1 cup vegetable oil

2 ½ cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree

 

Glaze: 

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

⅛ tsp. kosher salt

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Chopped toasted walnuts -optional for garnish

 

1.     Prepare the cake: preheat oven to 350 ° F. Generously grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray. Set aside. 

2.     Sift flour into a large bowl. Add the cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and baking powder, whisk to combine. 

3.     Whisk vegetable oil and granulated sugar together in a separate large bowl until fully combined. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla until incorporated. 

4.     Add flour mixture and pumpkin puree alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, whisking after each addition just until ingredients are combined (Do not overmix). 

5.     Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top into an even layer. Firmly tap pan on counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Invert onto wire rack; remove pan, and let cool completely, about 2 hours. 

6.     Prepare the glaze: 

7.     heat maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium low, stirring occasionally until butter is melted. Remove pan from heat, whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Let cool. Until slightly thickened, 2 -4 minutes. Spoon warm glaze over cooled cake. (If glaze begins to set before drizzling over cake, return pan to heat for a few seconds and whisk until smooth) garnish with walnuts, if desired. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator or at room temperature up to 4 days. 

 

 

 

Serves 12 

Southern Living, November 2024

 

Fall Treat - Pumpkin Spice Scones

This week is the first week of Fall, and after a summer that seemed to go on-and-on, the cooler weather was welcome. Time to celebrate fall with some fall flavors. Pumpkin Spice is one of my favorites.

GLAZED PUMPKIN SPICE SCONES

(makes 12 scones)

 

4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

3 tablespoons (45 grams) baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt

2 to 2 ½ teaspoons (4 to 5 grams) pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 ¼ cups (284 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 (15-oz) can (425 grams) pumpkin

7 to 8 tablespoons (105 to 120 grams) plus ⅓ cup (80 grams) cold heavy whipping cream, divided

2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract, divided

1 large egg (50 grams), lightly beaten

2 cups (240 grams) confectioners’ sugar

 

1.      Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2.     In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons (3 grams) pie spice. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Add pumpkin, ⅓ cup (80 grams) cold cream, and ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla, stirring with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms; knead dough in bowl until it fully comes together. 

3.     Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and gently knead, fold, and rotate dough until smooth. (Dough will still be soft.) Divide dough in half. Pat half of dough into a 7-inch circle (about 1 inch thick). Cut into 6 triangles. Place on prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. 

4.     Preheat oven to 375 ° F. 

5.     In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon (15 grams) cold cream. Brush egg wash on top of scones. 

6.     Bake until golden brown and a wooden pic, inserted in center comes out clean, 20 – 25 minutes. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack. 

7.     In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, 6 tablespoons (90 grams) cold cream, and remaining 1 ½ teaspoons (6 grams) vanilla until smooth. Spoon and spread desired amount of glaze onto cooled scones. For optional spiced glaze, stir remaining ½ to 1 teaspoon (1 to 2 grams) pie spice and up to remaining 1 tablespoon (15 grams) cold cream into remaining glaze until desired color and consistency are reached. Drizzle onto scones, let stand until glaze is set. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Ireland

What was to be a short drive to Fishguard, Wales and a short ferry ride across the Irish Sea turned into a very full day of travel. Because of problems with the ferry, large vehicles were not being allowed on. So, we traveled by coach north about 6 hours to Hollyhead for a 3 ½ hour ferry ride to Dublin followed by a 2-hour coach ride to Waterford, Ireland. We were weary! 

But we enjoyed the ferry ride.

Ireland is a beautiful country! It didn’t disappoint anything we’d heard about its beauty. Geopolitically it is divided between the Republic of Ireland, an independent state of the British Isles, and Northern Ireland, which is part of United Kingdom. I was reading a novel about the Irish War of Independence in the years 1919-1921 during the trip and it was fascinating to learn more about the country’s history. The Home Rule bill passed to allow Ireland to become an independent country, but excluded 6 counties in the north that became Northern Ireland, part of the UK. 

 We arrived to an elegant formal dinner with white tablecloths, lovely salmon dinner and Irish coffee. It was greatly enjoyed in spite of our rumpled state. 

 

Waterford is the oldest city in Ireland and has 1000 years of history, founded by the Vikings in 914. Reginald’s Tower, the city’s landmark monument, remains from that time. 

It is also home to Waterford crystal. The first flint glass was blown in 1783 and has become the factory of elegant and beautiful glassware sold around the world. The Times Square New Year’s Eve Millennium Ball was Waterford glass. 

Reginald's Tower from Viking times

A model of a Viking ship

 

 Next on to the Blarney Castle and Gardens, near Cork.  No, we did not kiss the Blarney Stone (we talk enough, don’t need the “gift of eloquence”). The gardens surrounding the castle were beautiful and it was a sunny warmer day which made them even more enjoyable. The gardens included many floral plantings and also a poison garden, with signs to identify the plant and tell its effect. The stone Castle was first built in 1210 and rebuilt in 1446, today it is mostly ruin. 

 

This is looking up - from the ground - to the tower window that people would lie down and lean backwards into to kiss the Blarney Stone.

There were plenty of shopping opportunities. I was very tempted in this Woolen Shop, the largest gift store in Ireland. The wool garments and articles were beautifully made. 

Travel next was to Killarney in southwest Ireland. The Killarney National Park was across from our hotel with the highest mountain range in Ireland and many lakes. There has been an indigenous herd of red deer in the park since Neolithic times. 

View from our hotel room of the National Park

We enjoyed a jaunting ride through the park.

 

The Ring of Kerry is a 111-mile circular route that is believed to be the most beautiful part of Ireland with vistas created by windswept cliffs, rugged mountains, lakes and picturesque villages.  Because of the narrow roads all tour coaches must run in an anti-clockwise direction, even then there were some close calls! 

This was supposed to be the most beautiful view in Ireland, our lunch stop at the Scarify Inn. The day we were there was very foggy and drizzling.

Our tour group, in a light rain, at Ladies' View, a favorite place for Queen Victoria's Ladies in Waiting when she visited the Ring of Kerry

 A drive through the Golden Vale, an area of rolling pasture land and dairy cattle, brought us to the Rock of Cashel, also known as St. Patrick’s Rock. According to legend, the rock originated in a mountain 20 miles north of Cashel when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave and the rock landed in Cashel. The remains of the cathedral, built between 1235 and 1270, form a cross. St Patrick preached at this spot. The buildings and graveyard are set on a walled plateau. Scully’s Cross, one of the largest and most famous high crosses was constructed in 1860 and struck by lightning in 1976 breaking away part of the structure. If you can put your arms around the large cross you are said to have the luck of St. Patrick. 

 

Cathedral at Rock of Cashel

Scully's Cross

The walled area of Rock of Cashel

Our last day of touring was a panoramic tour of Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Our tour included St. Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191, city parks, the General Post Office. The evening entertainment was dinner and an evening show of Ireland’s music and dancing. 

This monument, across the street from the Post Office, still has bullet holes 

from the Irish Independence War.

Phoenix Park is one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe. It was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660's and open to the public 1747.

The "White House" of Ireland. President Mike Higgins is a well liked public official whose duties are mostly ceremonial. He has served since 2011.

St. Patrick's Cathedral was founded in 1191 as a Catholic Cathedral. It is now the national cathedral of Ireland and has been Anglican since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

We thought the floor tile looked like quilt patterns.

I didn't realize the Guinness Brewery was such a major factor in Dublin. Besides the brewery, the company has benefited the country with many philanthropy projects. And, I didn't make the connection to the Guinness Book of World Records. 

Our last evening was filled with food, music and Celtic dance.

 

After a very busy and full tour, our 15^th day was the long plane trip home. It was good to travel, but also good to be home. 

 

 

 

 

Wales

We arrived in Cardiff, Wales after a long coach ride from England.  There we had one of our favorites of the trip – fish and chips for dinner. The irresistible combination of a hunk of battered cod resting atop a mound of steaming hot chips (french fries in America), is the quintessential British comfort food. Many meals were served with peas, usually mashed. They added color to the meal but not much else! 

See the green under the fish? Mashed peas.

 

Wales is a country, bordered by England, in the southwest part Great Britain. It is known for its rugged coastline, mountainous national parks, distinctive Welsh language and Celtic culture. It is 8,023 square miles in size (compare to Kansas’ 82,278 square miles. Wales is 130 miles from north to south and varies in width from 40 – 100 miles. Wales has been home to over 600 castles, 100 are still standing today. We stayed in Cardiff which is the capital and largest city of Wales. 

 

A walking tour of Cardiff included the government buildings, churches, and an open market. Wales is also known for limericks – “There was a young woman from Wales….” Our group at dinner even won the limerick writing contest! 

 

Government building

The guide was explaining that this church was built from the stones that were ballast in ships that came to Wales to buy goods to take back to their home countries. The stones were discarded when the ships took on their cargo. 

"Open Market", but under a roof, lots of vendors of food, produce, clothes, and other things to buy. 

Cardiff Castle was once a Roman fort, a Norman castle, and a Victorian Gothic palace. The original castle was built in the 11^th century on top of a 3^rd century Roman fort. During WWII air raid shelters were built in the castle walls. It was given to the city of Cardiff in 1947 and has been restored and many rooms furnished in antiques and reproductive styles.  

 

The Main Range of the Castle. Many rooms were furnished in styles of the past.

The library

The Clock Tower contained bedrooms, servant's room, and smoking rooms.

The most interesting stop in Wales was St. Fagan’s National Museum of History, an open-air museum chronicling the history culture, and architecture of the Welsh people. Buildings from all over Wales had been taken apart, moved, and reassumed at the museum grounds. They represented a wide range of history showing how people had lived. 

This row of houses depicted how the Welsh people lived with displays of every 50 years. The latest was 1985, which looked pretty modern with a microwave oven.

1935

1885

1835

This is the inside of a thatched roof. It was beautiful workmanship. 

A farmstead from early Wales, barn and house.

After 2 nights and a very busy tour of Wales we were headed to our next country - Ireland.