BEST OF BUNDTS
Julie Anne Hession releases ‘Beautiful Bundts: 100 Recipes for Delicious Cakes
Food columnist reviews new cookbook that explores ways to bake with this versatile cake pan
In a single-subject cookbook, it’s fun to let the topic take you beyond the predictable. Julie Anne Hession, in “Beautiful Bundts: 100 Recipes for Delicious Cakes and More” (Robert Rose, Toronto, 2017), has done so, imagining new ways to prepare beautiful food in Bundt pans.
The Bundt pan, inspired by cast iron pans used to bake gugelhupf, a ring-shaped sweet yeast bread traditional to certain European Jewish cuisines, was first produced in the U.S. in the 1950s. It’s an aluminum, steel or silicone fluted (ribbed) pan with curved sides and a tube running upright through the centre, enabling deep cakes to bake evenly. There are variations: shapes for special occasions, extra large Bundts, minis and half-size pans.
Hession has created recipes to fit in each one. Besides cakes, there are recipes for strata, breads, bread puddings, jellied concoctions, even individual portions of hash browns shaped in mini bundt pans.
Recipes are grouped in 10 chapters: Basic Bundts; Breakfast and Brunch Bundts; Filled Bundts; Layered and Swirled Bundts; Pull-Apart Bundts; Holiday Bundts; International Bundts; Mini Bundts; Savory Bundts and Bonus Recipes: Glazes and Sauces.
After exploring the selections, my freezer is full of assorted sections of Bundt cakes, ready to be pulled out in case of emergency.
The first recipes I tried –
Glazed Cinnamon Raisin Roll Bundt, a yeast bread we enjoyed on Boxing Day, and the intensely citrusy mini Lemon Poppy Seed Bundts were my favourites. These and most of the other recipes I tried gave clear instructions, and the results were as expected. I had problems with one of the yeast breads, the Garlic-Knot PullApart Bundt. Even after adding more than an additional cup of bread flour, I found the dough too soft to handle effectively, and the resulting bundt was a mass of garlicky bread instead of a collection of knots that could be pulled apart neatly. I think I’ll warm a baguette that’s been spread with garlic butter next time I want garlic bread.
Other yeast breads, including the Chocolate Cherry Almond Gugelhupf, were successes. For the Gugelhupf, I did add at least 125 mL (½ cup) of flour more than the maximum recommended to create a dough that was, as directed, “soft, smooth and only slightly sticky”. That worked fine, and I’d be happy to serve the sweet bread, laced with orange, cherries and chocolate, to any guest.
This pound cake looks great sprinkled with icing sugar, and it tastes delicious.
Classic Pound Cake
From Hession, Julie Anne: “Beautiful Bundts”. Robert Rose Inc., Toronto, 2017.
625 mL (2½ cups) cake flour, sifted
2 mL (½ tsp) salt
375 mL (1½ cups) unsalted butter, softened
375 mL (1½ cups) granulated sugar 6 large eggs, at room temperature
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
30 mL (2 tbsp) brandy (I substituted local Maple Liqueur) 10 mL (2 tsp) vanilla extract confectioners’ (icing) sugar, sifted
Preheat oven to 160 C (325 F). Spray a Bundt pan, minimum 10-cup size, with nonstick baking spray with flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
In the stand mixer bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until light. (The second time through, I used the whip attachment rather than the paddle for all steps in the recipe. It helps to incorporate more air, important in cake that is leavened solely with eggs, and no baking powder or soda. Butter must be soft!) Gradually add granulated sugar, and beat for 6-8 minutes or until very light and fluffy.
In another medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, brandy and vanilla.
With the mixer on medium speed, add egg mixture to butter mixture in a slow stream, and beat for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until batter is smooth. (I beat for 2 minutes more, just to be sure!)
Using a spatula, gradually fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake in preheated over for 45-65 minutes or until puffed and golden and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Wrap cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight. Serve dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
Makes 12-14 servings