Flashback to 1979-ish with me if you will...A picture within which mustard yellow is all the rage and the rim of my grandmother’s coffee cup is covered in pink lipstick. Ah, memories.
But what does this have to do with the price of beans in China?
If I was a lipstick wearer, this baby would have kiss prints all over it. Best. Investment. Ever.
Cuz I’ll do Tae Bo or plyometrics for a sweaty hour, or run 4 hilly miles...but stir a batch of cookies by hand?! Pphhht!!
Anyway, I was making cake yesterday. Because last night we celebrated a dear friend’s birthday with a potluck and a BYOT (that is, Bring Your Own [xmas] Tree) bonfire. I wasn’t sure if there would be other birthday cake there, so I kept it simple (but decadent) with a bundt.
I make stuff up as I go along. I was going to make chocolate cake. But the idea was just too rich and heavy after the holidays, so I thought I’d make a vanilla cake to be a little lighter, but then I got my cookbook out and put a pear on it to hold it open to my page, and then I thought “Mr. Pear, would you like to be in my cake?”, and it brightened and said “yes, of course - who Wouldn’t want to be in your cake?!,” and then I thought he might like a drinking buddy, so I decided to add some brandy, and oh look it’s ginger brandy leftover from nog making, and then I thought I’ll use coconut milk to add to the exotic feel, and then I’ll add some more brandy....and then I put it in the oven and held my breath, waiting to see if I’d be bringing dessert to the party or not. And I did.
And so you have the conception of BYOT Bundt Cake:
1-1/2 cups AP flour
1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups coconut milk (from the carton, not a can)
A couple tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed soaked in 1/3 cup ginger brandy
2 organic pears, cored and diced thin
Another 1/3 cup ginger brandy, divided
Preheat the oven to 350.
In your mixer bowl, combine flours, salt, and sugar.
Then add the milk, vanilla, oil, and flaxseed/brandy mixture and mix until “just mixed.”
Fold in the pears.
Coat a bundt pan with baking spray, and pour in the batter.
Pour 3 Tbsp of ginger brandy evenly over the top.
And bake for 40 minutes. Check for doneness.
Right out of the oven, pour another 3 Tbsp of the ginger brandy all over the hot cake. It’s thirsty.
Let sit for 15 minutes and then turn onto a cooling rack.
Post-baking epiphany! If you like nuts (I try to avoid using them in potluck situations), use 1/2 a cup or so and soak them in the brandy too! I’m thinking chopped pecans would be nice.
When the bundt is completely cool, make the glaze by blending all with an electric mixer til smooth:
2 c confectioner’s sugar
1 Tbsp ginger brandy
2 Tbsp coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ginger
Let it set up a few minutes in the bowl. Then coat the top of the cake.
Chill just a few minutes to help the drops get a grip if need be, in the fridge....or outside the kitchen door. Sprinkle with coconut flakes, if you like.
Definitely bonfire party and...ahem, breakfast...worthy.
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