Bready or Not: Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing
Yes, it’s time for yet another maple cake on Bready or Not! This time, a straightforward Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing. Delicious cake, plain and simple.
This recipe uses both maple syrup and maple flavor. I feel that both are really necessary here. Really, if you love maple, maple flavor is great to have around. It stays good forever. If you need recipes that use it, well, I think I have dozens of them here on my site.
This is the kind of cake that works well for a breakfast, brunch, or dessert. It’s deliciously versatile like that.
Bready or Not: Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing
Equipment
- large bundt pan (12 cups/10 inches)
- nonstick spray
- baking sheet
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup half & half or milk
- 1/2 teaspoon maple flavor
Icing
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons half & half or milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Place a baking sheet inside to warm up. Apply nonstick spray to coat the interior of a large bundt pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, scraping down the bowl a few times to make sure everything is mixed. Continue to beat until it becomes light and fluffy. Add the maple syrup followed by the eggs, one at a time.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the main bowl, interspersing it with the addition of the half & half. Add the maple flavor. Once everything is added, scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
- Place the bundt pan atop the hot baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a toothpick plunged into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cake rest in pan for 20 minutes, then invert it onto a rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze by combining the three ingredients to form a thick texture. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.
- Store cake under a cake dome or other cover. Individual slices can be wrapped in plastic for transport or frozen for later.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Easy Pear Bundt Cake
Some bundt cakes are super complicated with long lists of ingredients. This Pear Bundt Cake is not. It takes about 10 minutes to throw together, and only has four ingredients plus optional confectioners’ sugar to sprinkle on top.
This is a cheap cake to make, too. I bought Aldi’s classic white cake mix and found pears for under a buck (originating in South Africa, which was a first for me) with the discount foods at Menards. Then the eggs–well, those prices seem to fluctuate all over these days. But hey, maybe save the egg yolks from this recipe to make a Big Batch of Chocolate Chip Shortbread?
I must note something important about this recipe, too–the cake is lovely and soft. So soft that you should use a sharp knife to cut it, and also, the cake should be eaten within the day. The pear juice, I think, just keeps breaking down the interior crumb as the cake sits around. So, serve this for a crowd. I didn’t test freezing this cake, as I do many cakes, but because it is so moist, I don’t think it would be a good candidate for that.
Modified from Centennial Kitchen Fall Baking 2021.
Bready or Not: Easy Pear Bundt Cake
Equipment
- bundt pan
- nonstick spray with flour
Ingredients
- 15 ounces canned pear halves in light syrup
- 15.25 ounce white cake mix box
- 1 whole egg
- 2 egg whites
- confectioners' sugar to sprinkle on top, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Use nonstick spray with flour on the interior of a bundt pan.
- Drain the pears, reserving the syrup. Mash the pears with a fork to break into small chunks.
- In a large bowl, reunite the mashed pears with the syrup. Add the cake mix, egg, and two egg whites. Beat for several minutes to fully incorporate and create a light batter.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes; the middle of the cake should pass the toothpick test. Cool for 20 minutes, then invert cake onto cooling rack to completely cool.
- If desired, sprinkle on confectioners’ sugar just before serving. Cut into slices with a sharp knife (seriously, the cake is very soft) and enjoy! Cake is best if eaten within a day.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Cider Pound Cake
This luscious Cider Pound Cake, made in a tube pan, is great by itself or eaten alongside fruit and/or ice cream.
There are no apples in this cake. That means it’s fast and easy to make, too. No peeling, or dicing or grating. Instead, the recipe relies on sparkling apple cider for sweetness and gentle flavor.
“Sparkling cider” means nonalcoholic. That doesn’t mean you should use any old apple juice, though. Apple cider has more flavor and heft (i.e. not so watery). I used a seasonal version from Aldi that is all Honeycrisp, but any basic sparkling cider will do!
Modified from Centennial Kitchen Fall Baking Magazine 2021.
Bready or Not: Cider Pound Cake
Equipment
- large tube pan
- nonstick spray
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups unsalted butter (4 sticks) softened
- 2 cups white sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sparkling apple cider
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon sparkling apple cider
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a tune pan with nonstick spray.
- In a big bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until they are fluffy. Add the eggs in sequence, beating well after each addition.
- In another bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Gradually add it to the large bowl along with the apple cider, going back and forth in increments. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes, until a toothpick plunged into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to completely cool.
- Once the cake is cool, in a small bowl, combine the three glaze ingredients to make a thick but moveable glaze. Dribble over cake so that it oozes over sides.
- Let set at least 30 minutes before cutting. Store under a cake dome or cut into individual slices to encase in plastic wrap.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Apple Bundt Cake with Apple Cider Caramel Glaze
This Cider Bundt Cake is part of a series of apple cake experiments that will be on Bready or Not over the next while. They are all just a bit different.
The thing that really sets this cake apart is the Apple Cider Caramel Glaze. Oh boy, this glaze. It’s truly thick, luscious caramel. The cake by itself is fairly standard–this glaze elevates it to star status.
Even better, you’ll likely have some glaze leftover. Store it covered in the fridge and use it in the coming days. Warm up a portion to make it pliable, then use it for dipping apples or cookies, or to top ice cream… or just eat it straight or add even more to the cake slices. Just don’t you dare let it go to waste.
Bready or Not Original: Apple Bundt Cake with Apple Cider Caramel Glaze
Equipment
- large bundt pan
- nonstick spray with flour
- cooling rack
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
Cake
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or soured milk (see note)
- 3 medium baking apples peeled and grated or finely diced
Apple Cider Caramel Glaze
- 1 cup nonalcoholic apple cider
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup half & half
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Apply nonstick spray with flour to a large bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter, both sugars, and vanilla extract, until fluffy. Scrape down bottom of bowl. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, pausing to add the buttermilk at several points. Scrape the bottom of the bowl, then fold in the apple pieces.
- Scoop batter into the prepared pan. Even it out. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a rack to completely cool before making the glaze.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the cider to a low boil and keep it there for about 4 minutes, watching it closely to bring down heat if necessary to ensure it doesn’t boil over. Add the brown sugar, butter, and half & half, then bring to a boil for another 2 to 4 minutes, until it has thickened. Remove from heat to set and cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. While the caramel is still warm (if it’s not warm, heat it again gently to make it pliable), drizzle it over cake. (If you have any caramel leftover, let it cool and then refrigerate it for other delicious uses!)
- Let cake set in fridge. Keep covered under a dome or individually slice and wrap for storage, keeping it in the fridge. It'll keep for at least 5 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Notes
Bready or Not: Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake
This Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake is simple but oh so good. Rich flavors of butter, vanilla, and cream cheese infuse the whole thing.
The middle features a velvety crumb while the crust is browned and crisp, creating a wonderful contrast. This has All the Textures.
In full disclosure, this is a recipe that will test your mixer. My poor Kitchen Aid strained to handle this thick, massive quantity of batter. It kept tripping the circuit at the end!
The annoyance was worthwhile, though. This cake is extraordinary. So basic in appearance, and then you take a bite and your mind is blown. Make this one for the holidays this year, and you’ll feed a crowd and awe them while you’re at it.
Modified a lot from Bake from Scratch: Cake 2019.
Bready or Not: Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Equipment
- nonstick spray with flour
- large straight-sided tube pan or angel food cake pan
- stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks) room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 box) room temperature
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Generously coat the interior of the pan with nonstick spray with flour.
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until they are fluffy and pale, about 8 minutes, scraping the bowl several times during the process. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the recent addition is fully mixed in before adding the next. Scrape the bottom of the bowl again. Mix on medium-high for about 3 minutes, until everything is light and airy.
- Gradually add the flour. If the paddle attachment can't handle the load (and/or it is too messy), remove the paddle and use a spatula to incorporate the flour.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Level out the top. Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes. When it is done, the top will be golden brown and the middle will pass the toothpick test. Let it cool in pan for about 20 minutes, then invert it onto a rack to cool completely.
- Slice into pieces. It is delicious by itself or can accompany fruit and/or ice cream. Store covered or in individually wrapped pieces at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
Notes
Bready or Not Original: Marble Swirl Bundt Cake
This Marble Swirl Bundt Cake is not only delicious but pretty, as it contains a light and dark swirl inside!
Spices are the prevalent flavor through the darker portions of the cake, with the pale portions plain and sweet in balance.
There are a lot of ingredients in this cake, though the assembly is straightforward. Save yourself some effort at baking time by combining the spice ingredients a day ahead!
Bready or Not Original: Marble Swirl Bundt Cake
Equipment
- large bundt cake pan
- nonstick spray with flour or regular nonstick spray
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 1/3 cup almond milk or regular milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Move rack to lower 1/3 of oven; set to preheat at 350-degrees. Generously coat the interior of a large bundt pan with nonstick spray, preferably a baking spray with flour.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a big mixing bowl, place eggs, sugar, milk, butter, and oil, beating until creamy yellow. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, but reserve the empty bowl to one side. Scrape the bowl of batter as needed, mixing until it is smooth.
- Measure out 3 cups of the batter into the reserved bowl. Add the maple syrup, espresso powder or cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg, whisking until smooth.
- Pour half the plain batter into the greased pan. Top with half the spiced batter, spreading to the sides. Draw a butter knife through the layers, swirling up and down and around. Pour the remaining batters into the pan, repeating the swirl process with the butter knife.
- Bake bundt cake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should feel dry and the middle should pass the toothpick test. Let cool in pan for 1 hour, then carefully invert onto a cooling rack; if any chunks stick to the pan, try to nestle them back into place on the cake.
- Finish cooling. Slice into wedges. Store under a cake dome or otherwise wrapped; individual slices can also be wrapped in plastic.