CAKE.

CAKE.   I love it.  I don't eat it often, or often enough.  But making a large cake and having it around for 2 people just isn't in our daily diet plan.  So when I can, I volunteer to make the cake for ANY celebration.  This guarantees a few things.....I get a piece.  I get to choose they type of cake.  Well, not always.  I generally try to make something that I know the person being celebrated will enjoy.  I made 82 cupcakes for my mom's birthday/retirement party and they were all her favorites.  Lemon with Lemon Curd, Coconut, Red Velvet and a Chocolate Chip with Vanilla Frosting.  I know that at least 2 of those are my top favorites too.

 

Asked to make a celebration cake for my nephews birthday but having only 1 day to plan and I live out in the boonies, I had to make due with what I had in the house.  No time to go to the store and back and make the cake AND make my soap and then drive to where the party was.  Just no time.   I created a delicious Vanilla Bundt Cake with Jam.  I had a fresh jar of Mango Raspberry Jam in the cupboard that I had picked up from my friends at Smart Alex Jam located here in Maine.  I had some homemade Cream Cheese Frosting left over that instead of eating by the spoonful after my mom's party, I had the foresight and will power to put it in the freezer.  I simply warmed it up and drizzled it over the top of the Bundt cake.  A.Mazing.

 

Here is the inspiration recipe.  Be sure to stop over on the blog, From My Sweet Heart, for more gorgeous cake pictures and recipes!

(The recipe and pictures are property of From My Sweet Heart)

 

 

 

http://www.frommysweetheart.com/butter-and-jam-bundt-cake-bundtamonth/

 

BUTTER & JAM BUNDT CAKE:

• 2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2/3 of a cup of whole milk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• a heaping 2/3 of a cup of jam (I used 4 berry jam)
• baking spray with flour
• powdered sugar for dusting

With the rack in the center position, preheat your oven to 350°F.  Generously spray the inside of a 12 cup bundt pan with baking spray that contains flour.
Whisk together your dry ingredients :  flour, baking powder and salt.
Fit the paddle attachment onto your stand mixer and beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until it is light and fluffy.  Reduce the speed to low and add the yolks.  Continue to beat until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.  And then add the whole eggs, one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next.  You may have to scrape down the bowl again!
Keep the mixer on low and add half of the flour mixture.  Mix it just to combine and then add the milk.  Again, mix until just combined and then add the remaining flour.  And yes, you guessed it!  Mix until it is just combined.  Scrape down the bowl and then add the vanilla extract.   Now kick the speed up to medium and mix for about 30 seconds, until the batter is smooth. 
Scoop out about a cup and a half of the batter and smooth it evenly into the bottom of the pan.  With a teaspoon, make a little trench in the batter and spoon in the jam.  Then add the remaining batter.  Using a long toothpick or skewer, carefully give the batter a little swirl.  (You can certainly use a knife and swirl the jam throughout the batter.)  But a light swirl will create a pretty ruby crown.