Without a doubt, the best thing about food is the way it can
bring you right back to a memory.
Sometimes you don’t even have to take a bite; the smell alone takes you
right there. As the baker, just
measuring out the flour and butter and spices starts the process. So it was with this cake.
Spice cake is my little brother’s favorite. I made this for him when he was home on
leave. It was important to me to
make sure he had his favorite dessert before heading off to Afghanistan. He's risking his life for us, so I figured I could make a cake for him. I hope the memories of the night our family ate this stick with you out there.
Spiced Bundt Cake
an "Apple a Day" original
Ingredients:
For the cake:
3 1/2 c. cake flour, plus more for preparing pan
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. dark brown sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. buttermilk
For the glaze:
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar (plus more, if desired)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 TBSP orange juice
zest of one orange
Directions:
1. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard-sized Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together about 3 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and beat 3 minutes more until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating fully after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together about 3 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and beat 3 minutes more until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating fully after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
4. In a measuring cup, combine vanilla and buttermilk.
5. Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry mixtures in 3 additions, alternating
with the buttermilk mixture. (Be sure to begin and end with the dry mixture.) Do not overbeat.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 45-50 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool upright in the pan 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a rack and cool 1 hour more.
7. Make the glaze by combining cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and orange juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy. Once cake is completely cooled, poor glaze over cake then decorate with range zest. Serves 16 (or my adorable and brave brother).
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 45-50 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool upright in the pan 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a rack and cool 1 hour more.
7. Make the glaze by combining cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and orange juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy. Once cake is completely cooled, poor glaze over cake then decorate with range zest. Serves 16 (or my adorable and brave brother).