Maple Bundt Cake

So I've made a lot of bundt cakes, right?

Well never in my life have I had a bundt cake that got reviews such as this one. 

I mean, y'all. I made this cake four times in a 3-week span. And it was equally a hit every time! 

An quite frankly, and I understand why... because you poke holes in the cake and pour maple syrup into it. Like hello, how could it not be wonderful? 

But like I said, I've never received as many praises about a cake as I did this one:

The Maple Bundt Cake

I bought one of Mix and Match Mama's cookbooks last year, and have been picking random cakes that look scrumptious and giving them a go. They usually are overwhelmingly good, and this one was no exception! 

What You'll Need
for the cake

1 box yellow cake mix

2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 1/4 cup water

3/4 cup maple syrup

for the icing

3-4 cups of powdered sugar

1 stick of butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

a couple splashes of milk

What You'll Do

Similar to the magic of all bundt cakes, just dump all the cake ingredients (except the maple syrup) into a bowl and mix with an electric mixer. 

Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes, then invert the pan. 

While the cake is still warm, poke holes into the top of the cake in a routine manner (don't get crazy, just every inch around the top or so). I used a knife sharpener and it worked like a charm!

Pour 3/4 cup of maple syrup atop the cake and into the holes. My experience is that a lot of the syrup will pool into the middle, so I spoon it out to avoid sogginess.

Once the cake is cooled, mix all of the icing ingredients to the desired consistency (more sugar makes it thicker, more milk makes it thinner) and frost that bad boy. 

And then expect people to ask you to make it over and over and over again :)

 Just a little maple goodness for your morning. 

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Until next time,

Katy

 

Pecan Struesel Coffee Cake

We're taking a break from our regularly programmed "Trim Down" process this week...

....and we're talking about cake.

Oh man how I've missed baking. That's the worst part of trying to be healthy. And while you may think, "well why don't you bake the cake and then give it away?" - which is a good idea - I have yet to master the self control to NOT lick the spoon....electric mixer beaters....bowl....and any other kitchen gadget the cake batter touches. 

SO, I've unfortunately had to limit my baking until I learn to control my tongue. Literally. 

I indulged in this little beauty... 

The Pecan Struesel Coffee Cake 

 

I made this coffee cake twice in 48 hours. I made one for my team at work (and it quickly disappeared), so I subsequently made one for Jeff's team at work (because they were working until 4 a.m. so they obviously needed cake). 

This is a yellow cinnamon cake with a struesel filling. I've never done a cake filling before so this was pretty exciting for me! #itsthelittlethings

Y'all - this thing is amazing. It is the mother of all coffee cakes. I encourage you to eat it warm right out of the oven, or microwave it for 8-10 seconds before eating. And coffee cake requires coffee. Duh.

What You'll Need

1 box yellow cake mix

2 boxes instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 1/4 cup water

2 tbsp cinnamon, divided

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

What You'll Do

Mix the cake mix, pudding, oil, water, and eggs in a bowl with an electric mixer. 

Add in 1 tbsp of the cinnamon.

Pour half of the batter in a prepared (greased) bundt pan.

In a separate bowl, mix pecans, brown sugar, and other tbsp of cinnamon and pour into bundt pan on top of batter. 

Pour remaining batter on top of struesel mix

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

You can also sprinkle the top with powdered sugar once cooled. If you have crazy shaped bundt pants, I would use them on this cake. Cakes that require icing don't always look right in funky shapes - but this was was perfect for it! 

I mean look at that struesel filling. Yes please. 

Make this for you family or coworkers - they'll rant and rave about you :)

Until next time,
Katy

Recipe found here

Strawberry Lemonade Bundt Cake

As the summer months approach and the weather heats up, I'm starting to reintroduce myself to my summer favorites. Some are welcomed with open arms, and others not so much (i.e., the pale pastiness of my not-so-toned legs in brightly colored J-Crew shorts). We still have some work to do. 

But one thing I'm always eager to bring back is the strawberry lemonade. Kelsey and I both have quite the obsession with strawberry lemonade. We've tried various concoctions (the latest is lemonade with strawberry puree), but only in liquid form. 

Well why not a cake form!?

I like lemon cake. 

I like strawberry cake. 

Why not try a strawberry lemonade cake?!

This one took some thinking. There are all kinds of concoctions you can do...

Lemon cake + strawberry pudding + real strawberries

Lemon cake + vanilla pudding + real strawberries
White cake + 1 lemon pudding + 1 vanilla pudding + strawberries

The list went on and on. And I sat in the parking lot of the grocery store and discussed all of the options over the phone with my mom. We finally decided on a combination and I must say - I'm quite a fan! As is Jeffrey. Jeffrey loves him some strawberry lemonade. 

Here's my new summer love - the Strawberry Lemonade Bundt Cake

 

What You'll Need
for the cake

1 box white cake mix

2 boxes lemon instant pudding mix

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 1/4 cup of water

4 eggs

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup of chopped strawberries (1/2 inch size) - tossed in 2 tbsp flour

for the glaze

2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp milk

2 cups powdered sugar

What You'll Do

Mix the cake mix, pudding, oil, water, eggs, and lemon juice together with an electric mixer

Fold in strawberries

Pour into greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes

Combine the glaze ingredients and pour atop cooled cake

 

If serving immediately, I would chop up strawberries and sprinkle them on the top of the cake. You know - really give it a summery fruity look :)

 

 

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Have a great Thursday everyone! Friday Favorites tomorrow! :)

Until next time,
Katy

Dark Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Guys.

This is a big day.
A big BIG day. 

A HUGE DAY.

I *think* I may have found a cake that takes the lead for my absolute favorite bundt cake. And that is a big deal, because I pretty much love all bundt cakes. 

I think this is attributable to two reasons: 

1) it's really just that good

2) I made it in my new, spiffy-shaped bundt pan (see below)

Nonetheless, here she is... the Dark Chocolate Chip Bundt. 

I know I say pretty much every cake is easy....but y'all. The basics of a bundt cake are repetitive and simple. So they're ALL pretty easy. That's why they're awesome and my favorites :)

I did some research and kind of combined several recipes into this version...

What You'll Need

for the cake..

1 box yellow cake mix

1 chocolate pudding mix

1 vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 1/4 cup water

4 eggs

1 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Hershey's Special Dark)

 for the glaze..

2 tbsp butter 

1 tbsp Karo light syrup

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

What You'll Do

Mix all cake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) with an electric mixer

Fold in the dark chocolate chips

Pour into a bundt pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

While the cake is cooling...

Melt all three glaze ingredients and pour atop cooled cake

You could honestly use whatever chocolate frosting you prefer, or just leave it plain and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. I probably should have done that with this one considering it was a weird shape and a little difficult to glaze. Which leads me to....

MY NEW BUNDT PAN!!

One should not get this excited about a bundt pan, but alas, I am. This past weekend I was just browsing around Williams-Sonoma, when I came across their new bundt pans:

    

Aren't they awesome?! They just make bundt cakes' hot points go WAY up.

I chose the Heritage bundt, and as you can see, it really does turn out in the shape. Which just makes cake baking way more exciting! I already told Mama Sue I could use another one of these under the Christmas tree this year :)

And when I say I was excited, I mean I texted this picture to Jeff right outside the store. That's pure joy, people. Boyfriend is such a trooper to pretend to get excited over things like a bundt pan. 

Okay, back to the cake itself. It honestly tastes like a chocolate chip muffin. Like the homemade kind you used to eat as a kid. The kind that gave you warm fuzzies and made everything better. That is this cake.

 I mean it's in the running for #1 guys. (throws hands up) That's all I'm saying. 

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Until next time,
Katy