Poppy Seed Bundt Cakes

Mini bundt cakes, not yet glazed

Half-height 10" bundt with lemon glaze and a peach rose accent

Instead of making one large cake, I went for 6 mini-bundts and a half-height 10" bundt. I have this lovely Nordic Ware Cakelet pan that I desperately wanted to try out. It had been hanging on the pantry wall for a few months, as I've been a little intimidated by the intricate design. What if the cakes don't release from the pan? What if they break apart into sad, little piles of crumbs? All of these terrifying thoughts ran through head every time I considered mixing up a coffee cake. One afternoon, however, I mustered up the courage to try it. And it turned out so well!

Try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun. ~Julia Child

This recipe has been modified from Taste of Home's Contest-Winning Poppy Seed Bundt Cake.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 2 large eggs

• 1 Tbsp. chia seed + 2-3 Tbsp. water, soaked until gel-like

• 1 C. milk

• 1/2 C. almond milk

• 1/2 C. (1 stick) melted butter, cooled

• 1/2 C. canola oil

• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

• 1 tsp. almond extract

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2-1/2 cups sugar

• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the lemon glaze

• 2 C. powdered sugar

• 1 1/2 or 2 Tbsp. water

• 1 1/2 or 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ⁰F.

2. Prep the pans. Apply melted butter to each bundt pan with a brush to get in all the nooks and crannies of the design. I used a paint brush, but I've heard silicone pastry brushes work well. Then, sprinkle in some flour over the butter. Invert each pan over the sink and tap it to remove the excess flour.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the liquid ingredients (eggs, milk, butter, oil, extracts) along with the chia and poppy seeds.

4. Combine the remaining dry ingredients and slowly add this to the egg mixture until just incorporated. Though it's tempting, don't mix the batter for a long time, as this can result in a denser, chewier cake.

5. Pour batter into the prepared pans. There should be enough batter to fill 6 mini-bundts to 3/4 full, and the 10" bundt pan to 1/2 full.

6. Bake at 350 ⁰F until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. The mini cakes should take around 30 minutes, while the larger cake may take 50-60 minutes to be cooked through.

7. Allow to cool about 15 minutes before turning out of the pans. If the cakes have blown up while baking and have an uneven bottom, go ahead a trim it flat with a knife.

8. To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar until it reaches a smooth drizzle-able consistency. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cakes. Allow to set.

9. For the large bundt, make a peach rose to decorate the center. Slice a ripe peach in half and remove the pit. Then, using a sharp knife, cut thin slices, no more than 1/4 inch in thickness. Toss the slices in a bowl with lemon juice and water to prevent browning. Set them on a napkin to soak up the excess moisture. To create the rose, begin placing the slices (skin side up), along the inside of the large bundt cake, overlapping slightly. Continue layering in the peach petals until you nearly reach the center. Use the thinnest slice available to curl into a rose bud shape and tuck this in the middle.

Close up detail of peach rose

And there you have it... a variety of lovely bundt cakes, all from one great recipe. As I like to say, more bang for your bake! :)

'Til next time,

Eva