Merry Christmas! To celebrate the season, I’ve made this Spice Bundt Cake with Sugared Cranberries. It’s just perfect for the winter with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove, and still light and airy. Serve with a sweetened yogurt or whipped cream.
Ingredients
for the Sugared Cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup superfine (put not powdered) sugar
for the cake
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup vegetable oil
1 and 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons molasses (not blackstrap, optional)
You will also need: twigs of fresh rosemary
Directions
First make your sugared cranberries; these can be made a few days in advance. Combine 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. Combine the sugar syrup and cranberries in a small bowl. Cover and chill for 4 hours. Drain the cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid for another use, if desired. Place the superfine sugar in a shallow dish or rimmed plate. Add the cranberries, a few at a time, rolling to coat. Spread the sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or until dry.
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a bundt pan.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and other spices together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and molasses (if using) together in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
To present, even out the bundt cake as necessary with a sharp knife. Sprinkle sugared cranberries and sugar over the cake to decorate. Line the plate with fresh rosemary (optional).
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