Biscoff Speculoos Cookie Butter Bundt - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 10

Biscoff Speculoos Cookie Butter Bundt

I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 10

Happy Saturday! It's crazy warm and pretty in Los Angeles right now (75 degrees at the beach) so I was out most of the day and finally came in to send up this post!

Don't you just love Biscoff or Speculoos cookies? They are the best! Since Biscoff started making Cookie Butter, I've been in heaven. When Trader Joe's added this Netherland produced delight to their store, it was happytown. I went to Seattle last month (photos of that delicious trip coming soon), flew Delta and I asked for an extra Biscoff cookie pack.

I found this recipe on ButterYum's blog who topped it with a Chocolate Espresso Glaze, and she got it from A Beautiful Bite's blog who topped it with a Cookie Butter Ganache. Be sure to check their beautiful blogs for inspiration.

The Bundt is simple to make. I halved the recipe and baked it in my 6-cup Bundt pan.

You can cover this cake with a straight chocolate ganache, espresso ganache or cookie butter ganache...but I didn't have time (making too many bundts) and just went for powdered sugar. I think a cream cheese & biscoff spread would be awesome too.

To boost the cookie butter flavor, I'm totally in favor of just spreading it straight from the jar onto a slice too!

My Trader Joe's doesn't have the Speculoos Cookie Butter on the regular shelf anymore. They keep it at the front desk - think there is a shortage and high demand. Well, since it is pretty much legal crack...I can understand the need to limit quantities :)

Speaking of limited editions, can I begin to tell you how excited I was when all the peppermint holiday products became available in Trader Joe's last week? (Oh yes, I may have been visiting and calling asking them about their deliveries... :)  I bought 20 boxes of Candy Cane Green Tea. Love, love this stuff. It's decaf and mellow. I can drink it all day long. Last year, I bought 10 boxes and I ran out in September! It was a long, long wait for the new stuff. (If you don't have a TJ's near you, it has the same ingredients (and cute polar bears) as Celestial Seasoning Candy Cane Lane Tea. And the Candy Cane Joe-Joe's are back! Whoo hoo!

What Bundt are you going to make for National Bundt Day on November 15, 2013? Are you going to bring it into work or share it with your family? Hope you find a recipe and bake an inverted cake with a hole in the center (Dude, a Tube Pan cake is NOT a Bundt!)

If you glaze the Bundt, crush some speculoos cookies on top. That would be sooooo good. Let's just take a moment and imagine such yummyness.

I Like Big Bundts 2013
Day 9: Zucchini Bundt with Chocolate Ganache
Day 7: Cranberry Crème Fraîche Bundt
Day 6: Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt
Day 5: Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt
Day 4: Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Day 3: Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Day 2: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Biscoff Speculoos Cookie Butter Bundt
Recipe adapted from ButterYum and A Beautiful Bite

Note: I halved the recipe and used a 6-cup bundt pan

3 cups (420 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups (500 grams) sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup Speculoos Cookie Butter or Biscoff Butter (I used Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter)
4 eggs, room temp
1/2 cup milk, room temp (I used whole milk)

Glaze:
See ButterYum's blog (Chocolate Espresso Glaze) and A Beautiful Bite's blog (Cookie Butter Ganache) for options.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12-cup bundt pan by spraying it with Pam with Flour or Baker's Joy, or greasing and flouring the pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Cream together the butter, cookie butter, and sugar together in a mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.
5. Add the flour mixture (3 additions) alternatively with the milk (2 additions), beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
6. Spread into prepared pan. Smooth the top and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven, let cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack and then invert and cool completely.
8. Garnish: Glaze with a ganache or sift powdered sugar on top.

Zucchini Bundt with Chocolate Ganache - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 9

Zucchini Bundt

I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 9

Hello! Do you have some great neighbors with a green thumb? Do they leave fresh tomatoes on your doorstep every summer?

And do they leave boatloads of zucchini on your porch and run? Oh, zucchini. I love you, but I know that sometimes you go and multiply for gardeners. If you do get some zucchini, make this bundt from The Kitchn (love this website!)

I added some chocolate chips and ganache to the bundt, but it is lovely as is too. Since zucchini can be a watery veggie, you squeeze out as much water as possible before adding it to your batter. Great tip!

Of course, you can enjoy this plain with just a dusting of powdered sugar. Or...

...you can add some ganache. I happened to have some leftover ganache in the freezer and just let it thaw in the refrig until soft enough to spread on the bundt. You can also heat it to get it liquefied and pour it over the bundt.

You may wonder...What happened to Day 8 of I Like Big Bundts? Um...I went out with friends for lunch at Canter's (famous Jewish deli in Los Angeles) and we had a lovely time on our day off. When I walked back to my car, I couldn't find my keys (I've never lost a set of keys!). Nothing like dumping the contents of your purse on the sidewalk! Luckily, one friend didn't drive off yet (we came from three different areas of town) and was able to search the sidewalk, restaurants and bakery (of course we stopped in at Diamond Bakery) for my keys to no avail. So he drove to my friend's work where I hung out and shredded documents for her (hey, what are friends for?) until the end of the workday. Then we went to my area of town, had dinner, drove back to my house for my extra set of car keys, then drove back to Canter's, and I picked up my car. Thus, my 1:00 pm lunch took me until 9:30 pm to get home. Lovely to chat with my friends for an extended period of time...but no time to Bundt!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for cool Snapware Pyrex food containers. See this post - deadline 11/13/2013.

P.S.S. If you bake a bundt for National Bundt Day on Nov 15, I'm doing a round up (with a giveaway for an awesome bundt pan for those who bake). Submission info will be up soon...I've been delayed in getting that together but never fear...we'll be celebrating! :)

P.S.S. Need ideas of what Bundt to make? Check out my I Like Big Bundts page with lots of links, and here are this year's so far...

I Like Big Bundts 2013 (so far)
Day 7: Cranberry Crème Fraîche Bundt
Day 6: Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt
Day 5: Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt
Day 4: Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Day 3: Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Day 2: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Recipe: Zucchini Bundt with Chocolate Ganache 
Adapted from The Kitchn, How to Make Zucchini Bread by Emma Christensen

Bundt:
1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium-sized)
3 cups (420 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup (200 grams) white sugar
1/2 cup (50 grams)  brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup olive oil or canola oil (I used olive oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional extras: 1 cup chopped nuts, 1 cup raisins, or 1 cup chocolate chips (I used one cup of chocolate chips)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan by spraying it with Pam with Flour or Baker's Joy, or greasing and flouring the pan.
2. Shred the zucchinis on a box grater. Place shreds in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheese cloth and squeeze to press out as much moisture from the zucchini as possible.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to combine.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugars, olive oil, and vanilla extract together to combine.
5. Add the squeezed zucchini and the optional nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips into the flour mixture and gentle combine with a spatula. Add the liquids to the flour/zucchini mixture. Fold the batter together, being careful not to overmix.
6. Place batter in Bundt pan and smooth out top with an off-set spatula or spoon. Bake 45-50 minutes until skewer inserted in the center come back clean, and the top springs back when touched.
7. Let cook in the Bundt pan for 15 minutes and then invert and cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Optional: Add some ganache to the top (either pour over ganache or spread on)

Ganache - This makes a cup or so of ganache. You will have extra and can freeze it or use it on another baking project!

1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1. Ganache is a combination of heavy cream and chocolate. So easy and so delicious. You can use semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (or a mixture of both). The ratio is heavy cream (in fluid ounces) : chocolate (in weight)
2. Therefore, I used 8 fluid ounces (1 cup) of heavy cream to 8 ounces (weight) of semi-sweet chocolate.
3. Place the chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream to a light simmer. Turn off heat and slowly pour the cream over the chocolate.
4. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Then slowly whisk the liquid and chocolate together. Mix slowly...you don't want to incorporate extra air into the mixture. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
5. You can use ganache in different stages of "set". When it is warm, you can pour it over a cake or cupcake. When it firms up a bit more, you can spoon it on the treats. A bit more settling and you can frost with it. You can also whip it up for a lighter frosting. Oh, the possibilities of ganache.

Cranberry Crème Fraîche Bundt - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 7 with Snapware Giveaway!

Cranberry Crème Fraîche Bundt

I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 7 

It's Day 7 of I Like Big Bundts 2013 and I cannot lie, I'm happy to be almost half-way there! National Bundt Day is November 15th and I hope you'll bake a Bundt to celebrate the best food holiday ever.

Today, we have a special Bundt and a very special giveaway too! Fun times people. Fun times.

In 2010, cookbook author Christie Matheson emailed me about Bundt cakes, and I ended up in her book Cake Simple. (It was sooo cool - see the page here!) For Day 7 of my little Bundt celebration, I made a delicious bundt from the book that uses a favorite holiday leftover: cranberry sauce!

What's the best part of Thanksgiving? Of course, the leftovers! Snapware has a line of leak-proof food storage containers that are pretty awesome. The bowls are Pyrex with BPA-free leak-proof lids that are color coded and have a Write n' Erase space.

I'm really into noting the prep date of my food and sometimes throw a piece of blue painters tape on it. However, these lids make it so much easier and the writing washes off when you do the dishes!

Snapware gave me their Total Solution 8-piece Glass Food Storage set (two 4-cup medium squares, one 1-cup small round, one 4-cup medium round) for me to try out. They are easy to use, leak-proof (I held one upside down with cranberry sauce in it). I love that they are Pyrex because that makes microwaving easy as pie. And, let's get to your benefit, the cool thing is that they are giving one set to a reader!

** UPDATED: GIVEAWAY IS OVER. Congrats to Sara D who won! **

This cake is easy to make. It involves two layers of whole cranberry sauce and batter. I used a 10-cup Bavaria Bundt Pan (isn't it pretty?!)

Be sure to make a double batch of cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving - you have to have some on your turkey sandwiches, yogurt, and this cake! I'm including the recipe from the book that uses both brown and white sugar.

The cake is topped with a cranberry, almond extract, powdered sugar glaze. The cranberry juice provides a lovely pink color.

This is my first time baking with crème fraîche. Oh my goodness, where have you been all my life? This is just great stuff. It's so smooth.

The book has instructions to make your own crème fraîche, but I didn't have time to make it myself so I picked up this carton for $4.99 (next time, I should definitely make it myself as it will be less expensive).

Make some extra cranberry sauce and go to town with this Cranberry Crème Fraîche Bundt!

I Like Big Bundts 2013 (so far)
Day 6: Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt
Day 5: Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt
Day 4: Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Day 3: Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Day 2: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Cranberry Crème Fraîche Bundt

Recipe adapted from Cake Simple: Recipes for Bundt-Style Cakes from Classic Dark Chocolate to Luscious Lemon Basil

Find the book in your library or on Amazon!

Cake:
1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (300 grams) sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) crème fraîche (the book has a recipe for homemade crème fraîche, but I didn't have time to make it and purchased it)
2 cups whole berry cranberry sauce (fresh or canned)
1/2 cup (45 grams) chopped toasted almonds (I omitted the almonds)

Directions for cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 10-cup Bundt pan (This is a smaller cake so the 10-cup Bundt pan is fine to use. I used the Bavaria Bundt) with Pam with Flour, Baker's Joy or by greasing and flouring the pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.
3. In a standing mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Add vanilla and mix to combine.
4. On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture (3 increments) with the creme fraiche (2 increments) , beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
5. Pour half the batter into the pan. Swirl half the cranberry sauce on top. Add the rest of the batter on top, then the rest of the cranberry sauce (I used about 1 1/2 cups of cranberry sauce instead of 2 cups). Sprinkle the almonds on top (I omitted the almonds in my Bundt).
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer comes out clean and the cake springs back when touched.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cake rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto rack to cool completely.
8. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake. Enjoy!

Cranberry Glaze:
1 cup (93 grams) powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 Tablespoon cranberry juice

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. To get the cranberry juice, remove 1 Tablespoon of juice while making the whole berry cranberry sauce - about 10 minutes into the simmering of the sauce. If you use canned sauce, remove some from the can. If glaze is too thick, thin with water or milk.

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce:
12 ounces  fresh cranberries
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup (147 grams) brown sugar
1/3 cup (70 grams) white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the all the sauce ingredients. Cook for 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Let cool completely before using it in the cake.



Disclosure: World Kitchen LLC gave me a Snapware Total Solution Storage Set and a gift card to reimburse the cost of ingredients. The opinions and ideas expressed are my own. World Kitchen LLC is providing this prize for one reader who will be selected at random and contacted by email. Giveaway ends November 13, 2013 at 12am PST. Giveaway is only open to residents of the United States.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 6

Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt

I Like Big Bundts 2013, Day 6

Hello! It's Day 6 of I Like Big Bundts 2013...my little effort to remind you of the greatest food holiday around: National Bundt Day on November 15th! Oh, crazy food holidays and the crazy people who celebrate them (me!). I'm a huge fan of the Bundt cake and have been making lots of bundts over the years. This year, I'm doing 15 days of Bundts leading up to National Bundt Day and I hope you grab your Bundt pan and bake along!

Today's recipe is a slight twist on a classic. Along with hundreds of other delightful food bloggers, I baked my way through Dorie Greenspan's incredible book, Baking: From My Home to Yours in an online group called Tuesdays with Dorie. My pick for the group was Dorie's Classic Banana Bundt Cake. It got great reviews from everyone and I make it all the time.

This year, I thought I would bring it back and add some chocolate chips to it! Oh, I thought I was so clever. However, this morning, as I'm writing this post at 4:30 am, I realize that I already made this in 2011!! After making over 100 bundts, I guess I forgot I was already clever in 2011 and not so clever in 2013. But that doesn't stop this cake from being AWESOME.

Banana. Chocolate. Together. Forever.

This cake has everything good and delicious. Ripe, ripe bananas, butter, sour cream (or yogurt if you wish) and chocolate chips. It fills the Bundt pan so be sure to use the 12-cup classic Bundt.

You can eat this plain or with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. If you are crazy for chocolate, you can drizzle some chocolate ganache on top.

I just love this recipe! Dorie Greenspan is a genius. Whenever I made a Dorie recipe, I feel old and nostalgic for Tuesdays with Dorie. The group, started by Laurie Woodward, happened just at the start of the food blogging explosion and we were a small but tight community - before search engine optimization, advertising, conferences and branding were commonplace. We just wanted to learn or improve our baking and share what we made with each other. I owe so much to Dorie - I made friends (some that I've met in real life), developed my baking skills, and had a great time.

If you don't have several of Dorie Greenspan's books on your bookshelf, tell Santa. Everything she writes is delicious and you should make everything...including this Banana Bundt!

See you tomorrow for another Bundt! - mary the food librarian

P.S. Remember, if you bake on National Bundt Day, I'm doing a round up on my blog. I'll post photo and link submission info on Friday! (You don't have to have a blog to enter.)

I Like Big Bundts 2013 (so far)
Day 5: Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt
Day 4: Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Day 3: Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Day 2: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Recipe: Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt
Adapted from Classic Banana Bundt Cake
Page 190, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Find it in your library or buy it on Amazon!

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
About 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (you should have 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups)
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 cup semi-sweet pr bittersweet chocolate chips

Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pan: 12-cup Bundt pan. Spray with Pam with Flour or Baker's Joy, or butter and flour pan generously.

1. Dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.

2. Cream: Working with a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas.

3. Combine dry & wet: On low speed, add 1/2 the dry ingredients, then all the sour cream, followed by the rest of the flour. Don't worry if the batter curdles. Fold in the chocolate chips.

4. Bundt Pan: Pour into prepared bundt pan. Rap pan on the counter to debubble and smooth the top.

5. Bake: Place pan in the oven (never put a Bundt pan on a tray - air needs to circulate through the hole in the center of the Bundt pan). Bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, about 65 to 75 minutes. Check the cake after about 30 minutes - if it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Remove and let cool on rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto rack. Cool to room temp.

6. Dorie says "If you've got the time, wrap the cooled cake in plastic and allow it to sit on the counter overnight before serving - it's better the next day."

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt from The Lemonade Cookbook - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 5

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt

I Like Big Bundts - Day 5

Welcome to Day 5 of I Like Big Bundts 2013! I'm counting down to National Bundt Day on November 15th and I hope you join me in baking and sharing a bundt with your friends, family and co-workers. Nothing like bringing a Bundt to breakfast, snack or dessert time!

Salads at Lemonade in Downtown Los Angeles, from 2010

Today's Bundt comes from the brand new and highly anticipated The Lemonade Cookbook by Alan Jackson. Lemonade is a great casual dining restaurant or "modern cafeteria" in Southern California and I love it! Read about my first visit on this post from October 2010.

Alan Jackson also brought So Cal The Farm of Beverly Hills restaurants and is the son of LA radio host Michael Jackson (who knew?!) He describes the food as "Southern California comfort food" - that's a perfect term! Lemonade has a bunch of great salads, braised meats, sandwiches, soups, and desserts. Of course, there are also a slew of yummy lemonades to pick from including Cucumber Mint Lemonade (my favorite) and Ginger Peach Lemonade (second favorite!)

I'll be making some other desserts and savories soon - including the to-die-for Cauliflower, Golden Raisin, Almond and Curry Vinaigrette salad. That is soooo good, and I can't wait to make it at home.

I think this cookbook would be a great holiday gift - to those in Los Angeles, and well as those who want a taste of Los Angeles. And Lemonade is now in Terminal 5 (Delta) so if you are at LAX in my fair city, grab a bite (I just had some breakfast before my flight to Seattle last month!)

Lemonade's Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt is filled with poppy seeds, lemon zest and topped with a lemon glaze!

The Bundt uses 1/2 cup (yes, half a cup or 8 Tablespoons) of poppy seeds. It's filled with poppy seeds! Lots of other recipes call for 2 or 4 Tablespoons, but this has 1/2 cup. That's a full spice jar of poppy seeds. If you want to stretch your poppy seeds (my jar of organic poppy seeds was $6.25), you can get by with 1/4 cup or 4 Tablespoons of poppy seeds too. The recipe uses cake flour so the crumb is soft and tender.

The lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze is really important. The cake itself only has the lemon zest, so you need the glaze to give it more lemon flavor. I used organic lemons from Trader Joe's.

I get lots of questions about how to prepare the Bundt pan so that the cake comes come easily. First, I have had disasters in the kitchen too - with half the cake stuck in the pan...so you are not alone! I use Pam with Flour spray (It is labeled BAKING and there is a picture of a BUNDT cake on the bottle). This is different than regular Pam - it has flour in it so it takes the place of greasing and flouring a pan. You can also carefully rub soft or melted butter all over the pan (be sure to hit all the curves) and sprinkle flour in the pan, knocking it around to cover and then dumping the excess flour. Finally, you might also try melting butter and then adding flour to the melted butter to create a slurry. Apply this to the pan with a pastry brush. Unless the recipe tells me different, I usually let the pan sit for 15 minutes on a cake rack before inverting it for completely cool.

There are many, many poppy seeds in this recipe. Did I tell you the story of me failing a drug test because of poppy seeds? Really, it happened (not just a Seinfeld Elaine myth). About 10 years ago, I had two pieces of whole wheat bread with nuts and seeds - including lots of poppy seeds - for breakfast and then another two pieces for a sandwich at lunch before taking the test. Imagine my surprise when they called to tell me I tested positive for opiates! We went through my diet, realized what happened, and I took it again in a couple days! She did say that the test they used was ultra-sensitive, and it was 10 years ago so technology may have changed...but just wanted to give you a little warning!

Have you dusted off your Bundt pan? Find it this weekend so you'll be ready for National Bundt Day on November 15th! See you tomorrow for another Bundt! - mary the food librarian

I Like Big Bundts 2013 (so far)
Day 4: Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Day 3: Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Day 2: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Recipe: Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt from The Lemonade Cookbook (page 209)
Find it on Amazon or in your local library!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of The Lemonade Cookbook from the publisher, St. Martin's Press (retail value: $30.00). All opinions and reviews are my own.

Bundt:
3 cups cake flour (I used 12 ounces)
1/2 cup poppy seeds (I used a jar of organic poppy seeds. I feel you can use less poppy seeds too)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups (400 grams) sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
3 Tablespoons lemon zest (from 3-4 lemons, try to use organic lemons)
1 cup milk or buttermilk (I used buttermilk)

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons, depending on size)

My directions (slightly altered from the book's directions):
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan with Pam with Flour or by greasing and flouring it.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add the poppy seeds and whisk the mix together.
3. In a small bowl, measure the sugar. Add lemon zest, and rub zest and sugar together with your fingers.
3. In a bowl of a standing mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar/zest together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl.
5. On slow speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and the milk to the creamed butter and sugar mixtures in 2 additions. Beat for 1 minute after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the cake's structure. Mix until the batter is smooth.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth surface. Tap pan a few times to release air bubbles. Bake in oven for 60 to 90 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back when touched.
7. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes and then invert onto wire rack until completely cool.
8. Mix the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Add more juice or powdered sugar to get a thick, but pourable glaze. Pour glaze over cooled cake and let dry 30 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 4

Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake

Day 4 of I Like Big Bundts

Welcome to Day #4 of I Like Big Bundts 2013! Days and days of daily Bundts as we countdown to National Bundt Day on November 15, 2013. I truly love big Bundts. Cake is delicious, and frosting is not. Thus, the Bundt is awesome.

Today's bundt is from the Moosewood cookbook Moosewood Restaurant Favorites: The 250 Most-Requested, Naturally Delicious Recipes from One of America's Best-Loved Restaurants - if it made the cut into the top recipes of a 40 year old restaurant, then you know it's a keeper. I remember using the Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen in my undergrad years (the vegetarian years). I've never been to New York's Moosewood Restaurant, and hope to one day experience all their yummy delights.

This recipe is called "Sara's Fresh Apple Spice Cake" in the book (page 333). She brought it to her interview at Moosewood in 1973 and got the job.

The recipe doesn't call for a particular variety of apple so I found some Gala Apples on sale and picked them up. I peeled them, but you don't have to if you want more of a rustic touch.

You can serve this with a dusting of powdered sugar...or just plain. If you want to go crazy, you can serve it with some whipped cream or ice cream too.

Ah, fall. Days might be getting dark while you are still at work, but you get to eat lots of cinnamon spice and apples. So it's not all that bad.

See you tomorrow for another Bundt for...I cannot lie, I Like Big Bundts! - mary

I Like Big Bundts 2013 (so far)
Day 3: Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Day 2: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Recipe: Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake

Adapted from Sara's Fresh Apple Spice Cake from the book: Moosewood Restaurant Favorites: The 250 Most-Requested, Naturally Delicious Recipes from One of America's Best-Loved Restaurants

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
2 cups (380 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
3 cups (420 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour or 2 cups white and 1 cup whole wheat flour (I used all white flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons apple juice, milk, buttermilk or water (I used water)
3 cups chopped apples (I used Gala apples because they were on sale!)
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds) (I did not include nuts)
Powdered sugar (optional topping)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Prepare a Bundt pan by greasing and flouring it, or spraying it with Pam with Flour.

3. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat the oil and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

4. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. 

5. With the mixer on slow speed, add the dry ingredients and  apple juice or water and vanilla.

6. Fold in the chopped apples and nuts (optional). Batter will be thick. 

7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50-70 minutes (depending on your oven) until the cake is golden brown, pulling away from the sides, and a toothpick comes out clean. 

8. Let it on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then invert from pan and let cool completely. 

9. Sprinkle the top with sifted powdered sugar when the cake is cool (optional). Enjoy!

Butterscotch Bundt - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 3

Butterscotch Bundt Cake

Day 2 of I Like Big Bundts 2013

When I'm in the baking aisle of the grocery store, I usually pick up chocolate chips...and pass over the Butterscotch Chips. But this time, I picked some up for this fun bundt!

The Nordic Ware company was founded by Henry David Dalquist in 1950 after he invented the Bundt pan in 1946. His wife Dorothy has authored several books on Bundts for Nordic Ware. My BFF Dulcey sent me "Bundt Entertaining" by Dorothy Dalquist. See this post from a couple years ago with the story about the book and our friendship. Disclaimer: When you go to this post, there will be a doll in a bundt. If you are like me and scared of dolls, you might want to keep one eye closed. Just warning you!

There is 3/4 cup of butterscotch chips in two layers. The use of brown sugar in the batter gives the pound cake a rich flavor.

After baking, a glaze of butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla and powdered sugar is poured over the cooled cake. The glaze is very good and really adds to the cake. Please don't skip it.

Thanks so much for your kind comments on Twitter and Instagram about I Like Big Bundts...even though Bundts are all over the place now, it seems you still like my little baking challenge. I am touched that some of you think of crazy me whenever you see a Bundt cake! :) That's an honor.

I hope you'll celebrate National Bundt Day on November 15th! Like previous years, if you send me a picture of your Bundt made for this year's holiday, I'll post a round up of delicious Bundts. More info this week (or whenever I get it together - remember, this year's series is fraught with disorganization on my part!)

My co-worker said this was one of her favorites. My other co-worker grabbed a second slice and said, "I let everyone get a chance for first few hours, and then anything left over is fair game."

See you tomorrow for another Bundt as we head to National Bundt Day (November 15th)!!!! - mary

I Like Big Bundts 2013 (so far)
Day 2: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Recipe: Butterscotch Bundt
Adapted from Butterscotch Pound Cake in the book: Bundt Entertaining by Dorothy Dalquist & Nordic Ware

Bundt:
1 3/4 cup (350 grams) light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temp
4 eggs, room temp
3 1/3 cup (466 grams) flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk (I used whole milk), best at room temperature
3/4 cup (132 grams) butterscotch chips

Glaze:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar, packed
2 Tablespoons milk or half & half (I used whole milk)
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 10 or 12-cup capacity Bundt pan by greasing & flouring the pan, or spraying with Pam with Flour.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to combine.
3. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Blend in sour cream. Scrape down sides of bowl.
4. On slow speed, alternately add 1/3 of the flour mixture with 1/2 the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture until blended. Scrape down sides of bowl to combine.
5. Add 1/3 of the batter to the Bundt pan. Sprinkled half the butterscotch chips on top, avoiding the sides of the pan. Add half the remaining batter into the pan, spreading out to cover the first layer and chips. Add the remaining chips on top, followed by the rest of the batter. Smooth out the top.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely before glazing.

Glaze
In a medium saucepan, stir together the butter, brown sugar, milk (or half & half). Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Pour hot glaze over cake.

Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 2

Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt

Day 2 of I Like Big Bundts 2013

We're on Day 2 of this year's (light edition) of I Like Big Bundts - 15 days of Bundts leading up to National Bundt Day on November 15th! I hope you join me in celebrating the Bundt and bake something special for your family and friends on Nov 15th.

When offered a choice of desserts in a restaurant or bakery, many people go straight for the chocolate. Me? It's all about the lemon (next on the list are ginger, other fruits, mocha/coffee, and then chocolate).

Today, I'm showing the Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake from the classic book Luscious Lemon Desserts by former food editor for Gourmet, Lori Longbotham.

This is a nice big Bundt...just the way I know you like them ;) It's lovely with a cup of tea or coffee. You can also serve it with raspberries or other fruit.

Made with cake flour, this cake's texture is soft and refined. I think the cake is better the next day so the lemon flavors have time to develop (I kept a piece and had it the next day...research purposes, right?!)

It has lots of zest so be sure to have your microplane ready for action. If you aren't lucky enough to have a lemon tree in the backyard, then try to purchase organic lemons since you are using so much of the zest. There is zest in the cake as well as the glaze. In this close-up photo, you can see the pieces of zest clinging to the cake.

My parent's Meyer Lemon tree didn't have any lemons for me so I went to the Farmer's Market and purchased these Eureka Lemons.

Last night, I went to Target to buy a new shower curtain. I got that...and the new iPad Air (no, it wasn't an impulse purchase, I was going to the the iPad at the Apple Store but Target had it on sale for $20 off...and I was able to use my Target gift cards from last Christmas!) Anyway, if I'm not baking Bundts, I'll be playing with my new toy - it's way lighter than older iPads. And special thanks to my UCLA grad school friend Laura who sent me this fabulous mini Bundt from a doll house collection! So cute!

Ahhhhh lemon. You rock. 
Come back tomorrow for another Bundt!
I Like Big Bundts 2013 (so far)

Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Recipe: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Adapted from Luscious Lemon Desserts by Lori Longbotham, 2001 Chronicle Books

Bundt Cake:
3 1/2 cups (12 1/4 ounces) sifted cake flour (not self rising)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups (450 grams) sugar
6 large eggs, room temp
1 cup milk (I used 1% milk)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 300⁰F.  Butter and flour or spray with Pam with Flour a 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together TWICE. I sift onto a piece of parchment paper so it is easy to pour into the bowl later.
3. Beat butter with an electric mixer and paddle attachment on medium until light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar to the butter, and beat until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well (30-60 seconds) after each addition.
5. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the milk in batches, beginning and ending with the flour.
6. Stir in zest, lemon extract and vanilla.
7. Pour into Bundt pan and smooth top. Bake for 60-90 minutes (depending on your oven) until skewer comes out clean. **Check early because mine was almost done at 70 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes and then turn out onto cooling rack and glaze the warm cake.

Glaze:
1. While the Bundt is resting on the wire rack, make the lemon glaze.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Let simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens a little and the sugar has dissolved.
3. Turn the cake onto the rack and brush hot syrup over the hot cake with a pastry brush. Let cake cool before cutting into pieces. Enjoy!

Find the book on Amazon, or find the book in your Library via WorldCat