One Perfect Bite: bundt

Showing posts with label bundt. Show all posts

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Apple and Walnut Bundt Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love fall and the aromas of the fall kitchen. The scents of cinnamon and cloves permeate the house and ready the senses for the sprees of holiday cooking that lie ahead. The cooler weather is invigorating and surging energy forcibly retires the slow and measured pace of summer. One item on the list of things that must be done is our yearly hunt for apples. Actually, it's more like a forray than a hunt, but it demands at least one day be spent in an orchard picking apples. Lots of apples. I'm convinced that this sweat equity sets my cooking efforts apart from those who let others do the picking for them. Fortunately, my family loves apples and, I know that our harvest, however large, won't last long enough to spoil. I make this bundt cake every fall. It's not my favorite apple dessert, but it's really delicious, and because it's not frosted, it's wonderful to tote from one place to another. It's really easy to make and is always well received. I thought you might enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Apple and Walnut Bundt Cake ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded peeled tart apples
2 cups sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
2) Combine eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat to combine. Add apples and sugar and beat for 1 minute longer.
3) Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and baking powder in another bowl. Add to apple mixture, beating until blended. Stir in walnuts.
4) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minute, or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan andcool right side up on awire rack Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 325° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack with right-side of cake facing up. 5) When cool, combine confectioners' sugar and brown sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over top of cake. Yield: 15 servings.

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Two Years Ago Today: Apfel Sahne Torte - Apple Cream Cake

Your might also enjoy these recipes:
French Apple Cake - Babe in the City KL
Sticky Toffee Apple Cake - What's for Dinner Hon?
Scandinavian Apple Cake - Cook Almost Anything
Caramel Apple Cake Pops (Gluten Free) - The Dusty Baker
Whole Wheat Apple Cake - Dinners and Dreams

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Butterscotch Swirl Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm honestly not sure where to start with my review of today's recipe. I saw it in Taste of Home magazine several years ago, but, for whatever reason, I postponed giving the recipe a try. While I was curious and absolutely love the flavor of butterscotch, I was put off by the ingredient list and the time required to make the cake. I could tell from the photo that its frostingless nature would make it perfect for toting to meetings or alfresco meals, but I wasn't sufficiently swayed to begin cracking eggs or taking whisk to hand. I've had an awful of of people traipsing through the house this summer, and that amount of company means an awful lot of baking. To avoid repetition, I decided to try some new things, like this cake. After all, how bad can anything made with this much butter and sugar be? As it turns out, I can recommend the cake it, but only conditionally. My palate kept picking up the exaggerated flavors of artificial butterscotch and rum and I wasn't thrilled. The rest of my tasters, however, loved the cake and it was gone within the day. Since mine was the only dissenting vote, I'm going to share the recipe with you today, despite my personal reservations. Here's the recipe for those of you I haven't scared away.

Butterscotch Swirl Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 teaspoons rum extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant butterscotch pudding mix
3/4 cup butterscotch ice cream topping
Glaze
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan.
2) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 5 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in extracts. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition.
3) Transfer 2 cups of batter to another large bowl; beat in pudding mix, butterscotch topping and remaining egg until well blended. Pour half of plain batter into prepared pan. Top with half of the butterscotch batter; cut through with a knife to swirl. Repeat layers and swirl.
4) Bake for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
5) For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over cake; sprinkle with pecans. Yield: 12 servings.

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Two Years Ago Today: Mediterranean Chocolate Cake with Lemon and Olive Oil

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Whip into Shape Butterscotch Cake - Foodessa
Butterscotch on Butterscotch Cake - Our Life in the Kitchen
ABC: Butterscotch Spiral Coffee Cake - Sweet Bites
Butterscotch and Walnut Blondies - Baking Bites
Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars -Made Famous By

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Milk Chocolate Bundt Cake

From the kitchen of OnePerfect Bite...This cake, now known as the Classic Hershey Bar Cake, has been around for a long time and a lot of people have experimented with it. It was developed in the Hershey test kitchens back in the day when chocolate syrup came in a can and had to be opened with a church key. Since then, eager cooks have tried to make it their own by making small changes to the original recipe. I've tried many of them because I like to mix things up a bit and this is the type of cake that travels well, making it perfect for picnics or church suppers. While I won't be talking numbers, I've been to a lot of picnics and church suppers in my day, so I've a good working relationship with this cake and I've made it a lot. It is a sweet cake, actually sweeter than I like, but it is always well-received and disappears before it has a chance to stale. I've come full circle on recipes for making it. I began with the one that came from the Hershey kitchen and that's the one I've finally settled on. This is very easy to make and there is little that can go wrong, save for over-baking it. Milk chocolate cakes have a slightly anemic appearance, so, I like to sprinkle this one confectioners' sugar before serving. It is also lovely when served with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. I think those of you who try the cake will enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Milk Chocolate Bundt Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Hershey Test Kitchens

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
6 (1.55 oz. each) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars, melted
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
1/2 cup Hershey's Syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Optional:
Confectioners' sugar
Additional chocolate syrup

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup fluted tube pan.
2) Beat butter in large bowl until creamy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate; beat until blended.
3) Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until blended. Add syrup and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir in pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4) Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Sift powdered sugar over top and drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired. 12 to 16 servings.

*Cook's Notes: To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.