Nimmow Baking: Apple Spice Bundt Cake

I have started to really enjoy making bundt cakes. One of the main reasons is because when it turns out right you look like a master baker. The cake looks just like the picture and the pan does all the decorating for you. But when things go wrong with the bundt pan, it looks like some kid came by and took bites out of the top of your cake. What in the world do I mean you ask? Well, if you don't properly grease a bundt pan, big giant chunks of the cake can stick to it while your cake plops out. It is one giant pain in the ass. There is one particular spray that can rid you of that worry, but I just happened to be out of it while I started making this cake. I did it the old-fashioned way, butter and flour. I figured my granny didn't use spray, I don't need too either! WRONG. Yes, yes I do need Pam baking spray with flour. Big huge chunks stuck to the bottom of the pan when I turned it onto the plate. You know that feeling you get in the back of your throat where you want to scream and grit your teeth at the same time? I had that, and I had it bad. You think you get every single little divot in that pan filled with butter and you tap flour all throughout, but no. Giant fail.

I'm being pretty dramatic. The cake was able to be somewhat covered with the glaze so you could hardly see the random holes throughout the cake, but I knew they were there. The cake still looked delicious, layers of sliced apples covered with struesel. The spice glaze is amazing as well and I plan on using it on apple muffins and other cakes I make too. I like glazes because you can make them any consistency you like and I needed one heck of a thick one because of the divots in my cake.

Bundt cakes tend to be easy to prepare, just throw everything together into the bowl at once and mix. Just grease up that pan, man. I was told to use granny smith apples in this cake, but you can use any apple you would like. I didn't use a granny smith, I used the 'Ginger Gold' apple. I didn't even know this apple existed and it's quite good. Its taste resembles a granny smith but it just happened to be the shinier of the two at the store so we went with it. I highly recommend ginger gold and it's grown right here in Minnesota, isn't that swell?! But seriously, it's good. I hope you get a chance to make this cake and I hope I didn't scare you off from baking it because it really is tasty. Happy baking.

Ingredients

Streusel

3/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons orange zest

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cake

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 large eggs

4 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced*

Spice Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

2-4 tablespoons milk

Directions

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan

Combine streusel ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients except apples. Pour 1/3 of batter (about 1 2/3 C) into Bundt pan. Layer 2 cups of apples over batter; sprinkle with half the streusel. Repeat layers with another 1/3 of batter, remaining apples and remaining streusel. End with remaining 1/3 of cake batter.

Bake for 65-75 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when tested. Cool in pan for 3 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate to cool completely.

When cake is cool, prepare glaze. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter and spice. Add milk one tbsp at a time until smooth and of drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.