Rumor has it that the cupcake craze is "out" and bundt cakes are "in". I love a good cupcake, but I'm not very talented when it comes to icing and decorating. In fact, I'm artistically impaired.
If you have not visited "The Food Librarian" baking blog, I have been a voyeur of her beautiful baked goods for months. Her creations, and photography, are stellar-- I can only hope to become 1/3 as good as she is. She's also very funny.
Last week, I caught the posting for a Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt Cake. I noticed that the recipe was very similar to the Pioneer Women's Chocolate Texas Sheetcake that I blogged about-- no mixer needed. I liked the idea of adding cinnamon and I have a bundt pan...somewhere... hmmmm, I haven't baked a bundt since... well, let me tell you...
First, here's how I got off to a good start:
Butter, water, oil and Dutch Cocoa Powder are brought to a boil on the stove...
In the meantime, I've organized the flour, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs as the wet ingredients...
Just like the Texas Sheetcake, I pour the hot mix into the dry...
Give it a good stir, and it thickened up nicely...
Then I added the buttermilk and baking soda, and then the lightly beaten eggs and cinnamon.I didn't photograph my pouring the batter into the bundt pan.
"Why?", you ask...
Because my bundt pan is older than most of you food bloggers! It's ugly. It's harvest gold and dates back to 1976, when I was 21 years old. Yes, I'm almost as old as Methuselah (for those of you who are familiar with the Old Testament). Well, maybe I'm not that old. II wondered if non-stick from that era is what it is today. Ha! Stay tuned...
The cake smelled wonderful at 27 minutes in the oven. My poor bundt pan... I cooled the cake, as instructed... well, it was pretty darn cool. Not stone cold. Cool... tepid...whatever!
Ta da! My husband, with the best of intentions, grabbed the pan to shake it out-- much to my horror. There I sat, with my new foodie guest (my brother's lady friend) trying to think of how to patch this mess. Do I make a ganache? Susan suggested that I flip the cake over.
Taps fingers on table....
What do you think? I'm going to buy a bundt pan. This weekend. Silicone or non-stick, folks? What's your favorite?The bundt pan is going into the landfill-- well, maybe. Somehow, Harvest Gold isn't part of my color decor. I'm a mossy green kinda gal. It's my favorite color, by the way.
Know what? The cake is wonderful! It's moist, it's quick and I'd make it again. Only, next time-- move over old bundt pan! You're through. There's a new kid on the block, coming soon.
My brother has a digital camera that is to die for! I got caught, in the act of photographing my recipes, with my Fuji Fine Pix 3800 Digital Camera. There I am! Hello!
I drive my husband and (20 year old) son nuts with my "foodography". You fellow food bloggers understand. We can't help it. It's a sickness.
...and it's fun!
This looks fabulous.. I have a nonstick one.. I use it all the time and love it. I have to try this recipe since its so quick and easy.. Thanks for pointing this one out!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing you in action!
ReplyDeleteThis has happened to me almost everytime I use a bundt pan! That's why I stayed away from baking for so long!
LOL total sickness! I have a non stick which I adore! I am not hip on the other stuff makes me scared it will leech some chemical into my food, LOL. Ok I am paranoid!
ReplyDeleteI have a "harvest gold" bundt pan circa the 70's too!! I used it recently and it worked ok, but now you have me worried...maybe that was the LAST "ok" cake for that pan LOL. I think its time for a new one for me too.
ReplyDeletehaha nice save! I had that happened to me several times before too. The trick is to make sure the cake is COMPLETELY cooled before flipping over.
ReplyDeleteI'm not very good at decorating cupcakes myself. Cakes--I'm really good at EATING them :). This looks lovely and delicious decorated with the powdered sugar.
ReplyDeleteThankfully my husband takes all my blog photos--or I would drive myself crazy. The cake looks great!
ReplyDeleteIt is a sickness! I tried to explain it to my DH and he just doesn't get it. He snickers at me all the time.
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you, I have a bundt pan exactly like that, only it's avocado green! My MIL passed it down to me and I didn't have the heart to turn her down.
If you get another, get a non stick. Nothing sticks to silicone, but they're so flimsy and (I think) hard to wash. I have one silicone pan, but it's a simple square and I only use it for bars and brownies- easy stuff to get out of the pan.
OH, and you're too cute!
If the cake is good, then you win! Just remember that :)
ReplyDeleteI've made Texas sheet cake -- it's great. I don't care if cupcakes are out, I'll still make them, because they're just more practical for a family of 2. I can easily freeze cupcakes and take one out of the freezer when I want. A cake is harder to deal with. That said, I love chocolate and cinnamon and I'm sure your cake is delicious, and I love that you don't need a mixer.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all of you for your suggestion on bundt pans. I'm going to buy a Nordic non-stick. Cook's Illustrated gave this the highest rating. By the way, the cake is almost gone. My son and husband have eaten this recipe, with relish. Thank goodness! I had to limit how much of this I ate. I struggle to lose weight. My boys struggle with gaining weight. Not fair!
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'm sorry about your bundt pan disaster. Needless to say, this cake turned out beautifully--it only needed a little flipping. And chocolate and cinnamon were meant to be together, in my mind. Looks deliciously moist and chocolatey.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry that happened. I'm sure by now the Harvest Gold pan is in a landfill. Too bad. Nordic Ware recommends using "Baker's Joy". It works perfectly on old and new Bundt Pans. Cakes come out like magic! Maybe this "secret" will save someone else from tossing their oldie but goodie! Mine is Avocado Green and a hand me down from a dear friend. I wouldn't part with it for anything! See my blog about Bundt Pans http://frazzledmomparty.blogspot.com/2009/10/bundt-cakes-are-back.html
ReplyDeleteI have that harvest gokd bundt pan also. I made a pound cake last night and it turned out fabulous. Allow your cake to cool in the pan, on a cake rack for 10 minutes. NO MORE. It will stick. Run a very thin & flexible knife around the edge and the tube. Remove cake ftom pan and place it on the cake rack until cool to the touch. Or buy another pan and use that one for an ice mold. :-)
ReplyDeleteI, too, hail from a German background so I really enjoy your blog (that I recently stumbled upon.) I really enjoy baking and thought I would share a trick that I use which has made life much easier. I use "pan goop" which is equal parts of oil, flour and shortening blended together. I keep it in a closed container and give it a quick stir again before using. I use a silicone brush and brush it onto cake pans, etc. that would normally call for greasing and flouring a pan. Cakes pop right out! But, in the unlikely event that they don't...(which hasn't happened in a long time) I turn the cake into a yummy trifle. :) Cheers!
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