Lots of Baking No Pictures

I've made 3 Bundt cakes in the last three days and didn't take pictures of any of them.  I've discovered that bundt cakes are better when stirred together by hand rather than by the mixer.  Why?  I've found if I use a mixer it beats the cake batter so it's really full of air and rises really high.  Sounds like a good thing right.  No, not for a bundt.  Once released from the pan it falls quite a bit.  It still tastes great don't get me wrong it just doesn't look as nice.  The sides get quite wrinkly making them the Shar Pei of the cake world. I've found a bundt needs to be a little denser. Mixing by hand still gets a good rise just not as high. The cake keeps it's beautiful bundt shape which is the whole reason for using a bundt pan.

The only thing I'm going to try and remember to do the next time a make a bundt is to sift the cake mix.  I've spent my life avoiding the extra step of sifting, but cake mixes are pretty lumpy out of the box.  Lots of stirring using a wooden spoon and a whisk and there are still lumps.  I've found the small lumps do seem to bake up and are not noticeable.  I just think sifting the cake mix will save on stirring and whisk washing.

What cakes have a made this week... Bacardi's Rum cake an 80's favorite and still loved in the 2000's.  I also made Pampered Chefs Gingerbread cake a favorite of the 90's.  Then I made a beloved Chocolate Kahlua cake that was a favorite of my Grandma's and her coworkers.  When they had a potluck sign up they would just put her down for the Chocolate Kahlua cake.

Oddly, I never use Bacardi.  I just never have it on hand.  I use Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum.

Bacardi Rum Cake

1 cup chopped pecans

1 package Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 (3 3/4-oz.) package Jell-O vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup Wesson or Criso oil
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum (80 proof )
Glaze:
1 stick butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum ( 80 proof )

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease and flour 10-inch tube or 12-cup Bundt pan.

Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan.

Mix all cake ingredients together.

Pour batter over nuts.

Bake 1 hour.

Cool; invert onto serving plate. Prick top with fork.

Spoon and brush glaze evenly over top and sides.

Glaze:
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar.  Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, and remove from heat.  Stir in rum.

Gingerbread Cake

Source: The Pampered Chef

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1/3 cup molasses
3 eggs
1 tablespoon Pantry Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend (or 1 tsp Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ea. nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger)
1 (18.25 ounce) box German chocolate cake mix

Brush Stoneware Fluted Pan with vegetable oil using Pastry Brush. In Classic Batter Bowl, whisk pumpkin, molasses, eggs and Spice Blend until smooth, using Stainless Steel Whisk. Add cake mix; mix with Mix 'N Scraper until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute.

Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly. Microwave on HIGH 14 minutes or until Cake Tester inserted near center comes out clean. (Cake will be slightly moist on top near center.) Let stand in microwave 10 minutes. If necessary, loosen cake from sides of pan invert onto serving plate.  Let cool 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping, if desired.

Yield: 12 servings

CHOCOLATE KAHLUA CAKE

1 Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. chocolate or vanilla instant pudding mix
2 cups sour cream
4 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup Kahlua
1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil and Kahlua. Mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into well-greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until tests done.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool or not.