At the end of the week, the posse (a group of my running friends so aptly named by the person who shall remain nameless) are going on getaway up to the north woods of Wisconsin. Months ago when the trip was first planned, a relaxing getaway emerged as its' theme. The most type A and type A+ members of the posse may have gotten a little carried away with making lists of what everyone should bring or what the ambitious list of itinerary options could be. Somehow the two Type A and Type A+ members of the posse either weren't paying attention or selectively not listening. But in the spirit of 'luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, who knows what semi-absolute necessities we might not be able to find once we get to up the 'wildnerness' (aka away from all of the conveniences of suburbia)! A weekend away would not be complete without some adult beverages, so it was probably one of those things that didn't need to make the list (because it was just a given). Although someone in the group is known to be a big fan of redundancy as well as having a tendency to skew a little to the high maintenance side.
So whether or not we make the yoga class, keep our spa appointments, get a hike and/or run in, go to a Friday night fish fry, or do a dive bar crawl in a town nearby, won't really matter in the end. Because being able to spend 'memorable moment' time together is what really matters most. Okay, maybe the dive bar crawl needs to really happen. Because, hey isn't sitting in a bar drinking beer from any one of Wisconsin's finest breweries one of the most relaxing things one could possibly do? Think I will surprise them all and make a couple of their favorite 'sweet' snacks for this trip. Had I known how incredibly delicious this Cranberry Streusel Bundt Cake was going to be, I maybe should have waited to make it. Or just maybe we should take a side trip to one of the cranberry bogs in Wisconsin and pick up some fresh cranberries and make another one when we get back. Just teasing. Really, seriously, just teasing. About the trip to cranberry bog, not about making another bundt cake.
The photo of a Cranberry Streusel Bundt Cake gracing the cover the holiday issue of Bake from Scratch was enough to convince me to (impulsively) buy the magazine. Browsing through the ingredient list for the cake, I was intrigued by the use of Chinese Five-Spice Powder. Generally made up of at least five spices, this spice mixture is generally used more often in savory dishes than sweet confections. While there are many variations of Chinese Five-Spice Powder, the most common are star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Szechuan peppercorns, ginger, and fennel seeds. So I couldn't help but wonder how this spice, when combined with cinnamon and ground nutmeg, would taste in cake studded with tart cranberries. Would my palate be pleasantly surprised or deeply disappointed? Time would soon tell.
The Cranberry Streusel Bundt Cake is made up of four easy to assemble components: the bundt cake batter, the streusel, the confectionary sugar icing, and the sugared cranberries. Note: The inspiration recipe used a homemade cranberry powder instead of sugared cranberries.
When adding cranberries to a cake, my first instinct is always to cut some of them in half. For this cake, I cut about a of 1/3 cup of the cranberries in half (lengthwise) and kept the remaining 1 2/3 cups whole. Cutting the cranberries is just a personal preference and not a deal breaker. So feel free to skip a cutting step and add all of them in whole. Because it's cranberry season along with being guided by the adage 'fresh is best', the choice to use either fresh or frozen cranberries was easy. However, if I made this cake in the off season, then my only option would be to use frozen cranberries.
In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, batter for this bundt cake comes together beautifully and the assembly sequence is pretty straightforward. Other than reducing the amount of cranberries from 2 1/4 cups to 2 cups, I followed the recipe for the batter. In a ten cup capacity bundt pan, the batter and streusel are layered. One third of the batter is followed by half of the streusel, followed by another third of the batter, topped with the other half of the streusel and topped with the remaining third of the batter. The batter will almost completely fill a 10 cup capacity bundt pan.
When it came to the making the streusel, I wasn't sure if I (and everyone else in my small circle not too familiar with taste of Chinese Five-Spice Powder) could handle this spice in both the batter and the streusel. After some 'what to do, what to do' deliberation, I oped to omit the Chinese Five-Spice Powder from the streusel and increase the brown sugar from 1 1/2 Tablespoons to 2 Tablespoons. I can't say for sure whether leaving out this spice from the streusel was a great idea or a bad decision as I have no basis of comparison for how the streusel (or cake) tastes without it being in both the cake and streusel. I can only tell you everyone loved the cake as I had made it.
As a precaution, I place the bundt pan on a baking sheet before putting into a preheated 350 degree (F) or 180 degree (C) oven. The baking time on the cake will range from 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. My baking time was closer to the 1 hour and 20 minute mark. To test for doneness, insert a long skewer in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If you have ever made a bundt cake before, you know there is nothing worse than an underdone or overdone cake.
There are several things you should do to help ensure your bundt cake comes out cleanly. The first is making sure the pan is heavily buttered/sprayed and floured. Yes, even if you have a non-stick bundt pan. The second is allowing the cake to rest for 30 minutes before unmolding. Lastly, carefully inserting a sharp knife along the top edges of the cake pan to loosen the cake from the side of the pan. Next to under or overcooked bundt cake, one that comes out in pieces usually leads to my undoing.
While the Cranberry Streusel Bundt Cake is cooling you can make the sugared cranberries. After bringing a simple syrup made up of 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar to boil, the cranberries are added for only a minute. This gives them enough time to take on the syrupy coating without popping. After removing the cranberries from the syrup with a slotted spoon, place on a wire rack. While they are still 'wet' roll them in granulated sugar until they are transformed into beautiful glistening balls. Once rolled in sugar, you can set them on a piece of parchment paper or on a clean cooling rack to dry. Note: They dry relatively quickly.
The original recipe called for the use of a Citrus Glaze (one made with fresh orange juice instead of vanilla). Although I had a fully zest orange ready to squeeze, I opted for a glaze made with vanilla (a clear vanilla to keep the icing as white as possible). Sifting the confectionary sugar before adding in the pinch of salt, milk, and vanilla will create a smooth, lump free, icing.
The Cranberry Streusel Bundt Cake should come to room temperature (several hours wait time) before it's glazed with icing. If the icing is added while the cake is still to warm, it will melt into the cake.
If adding the sugared cranberries to the cake, they need to placed on the cake while the icing is still wet. If the icing hardens, these little beautiful balls of deliciousness will roll off the cake.
So how good was a Cranberry Streusel Bundt Cake having Chinese Five-Spice Powder in the cake batter? Simply divine. Not only did it exceed all of my rather tentative expectations, my taste buds felt as if they had been given the keys to bundt cake nirvana. The tartness of the cranberries and orange zest, the sweetness of streusel and icing, and the spicy warmth of the cake itself were an incredible trifecta of flavors.
To further sing the praises of this cake, it's texture was perfectly dense and moist. Making it the kind of cake you could serve for breakfast, brunch, tea, or dessert. And yes, even as a late night or post evening workout snack. As the holiday season approaches, this would be a great cake to wake up to the day after Thanksgiving or on Christmas morning. And if you are like me and want to get your fill of fresh cranberries before they go out of season, the Cranberry Streusel Bundt Cake would make for a great New Year's Eve or Day dinner dessert. The versatility of this cake may be another one of its' best features.
Cranberry Streusel Bundt Cake (slight adaptation to TheBakeFeed's Cranberry Streusel Bundt as shared in the Holiday edition of Bake From Scratch, December 2017)
Ingredients
Cake
4 large eggs (200 g), room temperature
1 large egg yolk (19g), room temperature
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups (360 g) sour cream
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons orange zest
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups (333 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Chinese Five-Spice Powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups (340 g) fresh cranberries
Streusel
1/3 cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tablespoons (21 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon Chinese Five-Spice Powder (optional) See note below.
Glaze
1 1/2 cups (170 g) confectionary sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of kosher salt
3-4 Tablespoons whole milk
Sugared Cranberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (or frozen, but if using frozen do not thaw before adding to the batter)
Another 1/2 cup of granulated sugar for coating the cranberries
Directions
Cake
1. Preheat aoven to 350 degrees (F) or 180 degrees (C). Heavily butter and flour a 10 cup Bundt pan.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, five-spice powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs, egg yolk, and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy (approximately 4 minutes).
4. With mixer on low speed, add sour cream, oil, zest, and vanilla. Increase mixer to medium speed and beat until well combined.
5. Alternating flour and milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until combined after each addition (the flour had three additions, the milk had two additions).
6. Fold cranberries into the batter. Optional: Cut 1/3 cup of the cranberries in half lengthwise. Fold in the cut and whole cranberries into the batter.
7. Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the streusel mixture. Add another third of the batter. Sprinkle other half of the streusel mixture. Finish with final third of the batter. Tap batter on counter several times to release any air bubbles. Note: Pan will be very full.
8. Place bundt pan on baking sheet and place in oven. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted the near the center comes out clean. Baking time will range from 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes.
10. Invert pan onto a platter or cake stand. Let cool completely before drizzling glaze on the cake. Place sugared cranberries on cake before the glaze has firmed up.
11. Cut into slices and serve. Store cake covered at room temperature.
Streusel
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and five-spice powder (if using).
2. Add butter. Using your fingers work butter into the flour mixture until it has the texture of dry sand.
Sugared Cranberries
1. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissovles. Approximately 2-3 minutes.
2. Stir in cranberries until well coated. Working in batches emove cranberries with a slotted spoon and roll in the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar. Set cranberries on a cooling rack. Allow to dry completely. (approximately 1-2 hours).
Glaze
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted confectionary sugar, vanilla, salt and milk until smooth. Note: Add milk 1 Tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
Notes: (1) I used this 10 cup capacity Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt pan. (2) If adding the Chinese Spice-Powder to the streusel mixture use up to 1 Tablespoon of the spice. (3) The cake continues to be delicious or 2-3 days after its' baked, if wrapped well in cellophone. Store at room temperature. (4) I used a pre-packaged Chinese Five-Spice Powder, however, there are several recipes available online for homemade versions. (5) Another one of my favorite cranberry desserts, Nantucket Cranberry Pie, was posted to the blog several years ago. If you haven't yet made it, you really should. (5) You can use the cranberry flavor infused leftover simple syrup for cocktails. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.
