A bundt cake doesn't have to be difficult. (CU Independent/Ana Faria)
Looking at baking books with difficult recipes and mouthwatering pictures, one might think that the perfect impression cake takes lots of skill to make. Here’s a secret: The cake made to impress is simple, easy to make and looks as great as it tastes.
Ingredients:
1 Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix
1 Jell-O Instant Vanilla Pudding package (3.4 oz)
1 tablespoons nutmeg
(High altitude) add 2 tablespoons flour to the dry ingredients
3/4 cup cooking sherry or cream sherry
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
Shortening or non-stick cooking spray with flour added
Powdered sugar (for sprinkling)
Bundt cake pan
Small strainer
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients slightly so that everything is well distributed. Add the wet ingredients and beat with a mixer for four minutes. Next grease a Bundt pan (that’s the one with the hole in the center). There are two ways this can be done.
First possibility: If the cooking spray is running low, flour and shortening can be used to grease the pan. To grease the pan spread the shortening all over the inside. Think of the way you played with shaving cream as a kid—it’s the same concept. To flour the pan, sprinkle flour into the greased pan, tipping and tilting until the flour has spread evenly over the shortening.
Second possibility: If there is enough cooking spray with flour left over, spray the pan liberally.
Pour the batter into the pan. Because the Bundt pan is circular, the batter must be evenly distributed, otherwise the cake will be uneven.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Once the top has browned and a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean, the cake is done and can be removed from the oven. Let the cake cool in the pan until it can be easily handled.
To get the cake out of the pan place a plate upside down over the cake. Then, holding both, flip them over so the plate is on the bottom and you can lift the pan off. With the way a Bundt pan is shaped the cake will look fantastic once it’s on the plate.
To decorate the cake, add a little dust powdered sugar over the top of the cake, which gives it an almost snow-sprinkled look. To make the sprinkling easier, fill a small strainer with the powdered sugar and tap it over the cake. Because of the small holes in the strainer the sugar will fall evenly.
If the cake isn’t daring enough, feel free to add whipped cream and any sort of sliced fruit.
The great thing about this particular cake is not only does it make a fantastic dessert but it also makes a wonderful breakfast. Paired with a cup of coffee, it rivals even the best coffee house pastry.
Share this cake with friends and they’ll most likely beg for the recipe.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Ana Faria at Ana.faria@colorado.edu.
