Wednesday 23 November 2016

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

The moment I saw this bundt tin beaming at me from the shelves of my local TK Maxx, it was love at first sight.


Ever since that fateful day, I've been looking for any excuse to whip up a bundt cake. Birthdays, Christmas, Wednesdays - you name it. In my opinion, of all the cake options out there, a bundt is one of the most fun. It's fun to say (say it out loud to yourself...*bundt*...), fun to decorate, fun to slice into, and creates an all-round "Well isn't this a bit fun?" vibe. SUCH fun.

Unfortunately, with there only being two of us in the house (not counting the animals of course), bundt opportunities don't come around too often. After all, there's nothing more tragic than a 'Serves 10-12' bundt going to waste, for as it turns out, there really is only so much bundt you can load into a child before they're practically begging for a piece of fruit.

But I'll stop saying 'bundt' now and lead you to the recipe you've come here for, presumably.


Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

With warming cinnamon, comfortingly squidgy apple, and thick, oozing caramel, this particular bundt is literally (not literally) a cakey hug. The caramel is made with honey, but if you don't like the taste of honey you can make a classic caramel sauce using butter, double cream, brown sugar and a touch of vanilla.

I entered this into our office Bake Off where it faced some pretty tough competition. But (as I believe I've stressed by the point), no-one can resist a just-here-for-a-good-time bundt, and I'm proud to say it won the main prize. For which there was no actual prize, just fame and glory. 


If you'd like to earn some serious office kudos and put a half-bundt-shaped smile on the faces of your co-workers, here's everything you need to know, courtesy of the lovely folk over at Canadian Living:

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cups light-tasting olive oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup liquid honey
3 free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups diced cored peeled apples

Caramel:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup mild liquid honey 
3 tbsp double cream 
2 tbsp butter

In large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients - that's the oil, sugar, honey, eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Stir this into the egg mixture just until combined, and fold through the apples. Scrape into greased 10-inch (3-litre) bundt pan.

Bake in a 160ÂșC oven for 40-50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. FYI your house will smell amazing in the meantime.

Leave to cool in the pan, on a rack for 10 minutes; transfer from pan to rack and let it cool completely.

To make the caramel: In a heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, honey and 2 tbsp water to the boil over a medium-high heat. Use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to brush any liquid from the sides. Cook until the mixture turns a deep amber colour, which will take about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Standing well back and being careful of your beautiful face, stir in the cream and butter. Cool for around 15 minutes, until the caramel has thickened enough to coat back of spoon, then drizzle the warm caramel over cake (*cue Homer Simpson drooling*), saving some for additional pouring later.


If you were looking for your next bake to fend off the impending gloom of winter,  I think you've just found it! 




Saturday 24 October 2015

DF Mexico

DF Mexico near the Old Truman Brewery on London’s Brick Lane is named after “Distrito Federal”- the name that locals use for Mexico City. 

Inspired by a recent trip across the US/Mexico borders by Thomasina Miers and Mark Selby - founders of the popular Wahaca restaurant chain - the concept fuses American influences with authentic Mexican cuisine.



With a thoroughly modern brand identity and a fresh, monochrome space offset with industrial furniture and flashes of bold colour, DF Mexico is like the hip older cousin of your typical themed high street eatery. Perfect for those who like their Mexican dining experiences minus the sombreros and Spanish guitar music.  



And of course, the food is pretty excellent too - as any fan of Thomasina's would expect. 

After struggling to decide what to eat for an embarrassing length of time, my dining buddy opted for the Chilli Beef Torta - a Mexican-inspired sandwich served in a brioche bun with slaw, smashed avocado and house pickles (yes, it was as dreamy as it sounds) - while I chose the Pork Tibil Tacos with pink pickled onions (aka the PRETTIEST onions).



As somebody who eats out more than I'd care to admit, it's not often that a restaurant gets me genuinely excited - it was even enough to get me blogging again.

Check out the full DF Mexico menu here - and see if you can choose your favourite any faster than we could!




Tuesday 24 June 2014

Down time





Brunch today at the Wild Cafe in Bath. Avocado on sourdough toast; pancakes with bacon and maple syrup; fresh orange juice, and Earl Grey tea. Making the most of my leisure time before starting a grown-up full-time job on Monday. Eek! 

Thursday 5 June 2014

Nordic





Today I went for coffee with a friend, and received this belated birthday gift. It's full of traditional recipes that remind her of growing up in Sweden, and I can't wait to give some of them a try. Just need to decide whether to make cinnamon buns or tosca cake first...

Oh yes, it was my birthday last week! And before that I took Little P to Paris! We have a lot to catch up on. I'll post again tomorrow. 

Monday 19 May 2014

Freedom








Before you get mad at me, I have a good reason for not blogging in almost a month - well, two good reasons perhaps. The first has been finally finishing my degree (only four years behind schedule after having Little P), so as you can imagine I have been trapped at my desk for the last few weeks. The second is that, after my final exam a week ago, I have been busy celebrating. The weather has certainly helped, and I've enjoyed sunny pub garden drinks, nights out with uni friends, and a great weekend with my guy that included a very late night, and a very lazy Sunday at the spa. Think I need to make the most of this before real life kicks in...


Saturday 26 April 2014

Saturdays




Today was a trip to the cinema followed by a visit to the toy store; then sandwiches and cake with our new monster friends. As good as it gets when you're 6.

Tuesday 22 April 2014



Smashed avocado with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. On sourdough toast. With balsamic glaze. One of my favourite little lunches.

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