Classic rum babà is a thing of beauty. It's a boozy treat that makes an appearance in many European cuisines, each slightly different from the last-all delightfully soggy in the best way possible. A rich brioche-like dough is baked in cute little molds, then plunged into a fiery simple syrup infused with a hearty glug of alcohol. (Rum is the most common spirit of choice-hence the name-although limoncello is another popular option.)
Before Nothing Bundt Cakes became the empire it is today, it had small beginnings. Let's rewind to 1997, when Dena Tripp and Debbie Shwetz created their first bundt in their homes. They were two moms and friends living in Las Vegas, Nevada, who were just enjoying the practice of baking. They started with a cake and then figured out the frosting process, using a cream cheese and butter base to decorate the baked good.
When it comes to sweet treats, referring to vintage recipes is a great source of inspiration. Between long-loved cakes and other vintage Southern dessert recipes, there are plenty of historic treats that taste just as delicious now as they did back in their heyday. One such cake is famously named after a catchphrase of its time. The Sock-It-To-Me cake can be traced back to the 1970s, having made one of its first appearances on the back of a box of Duncan Hines cake mix.
First off, of course, you have to bake the cake: Cream together sugar and butter, then add in the applesauce. After mixing in the dry ingredients (plus golden raisins and pecans, for good measure), the cake batter gets poured into a Bundt mold and baked for a whopping 90 minutes. Although that feels like a long time, cakes baked in a Bundt mold often need longer than a sheet cake or cupcakes.
This is a rich and tender Bundt cake that uses a whole can of pumpkin purée. A big bowl of pumpkin batter is split in two, one half flavored with a heavy shower of cocoa powder, the rest left bright orange and spiked with a bit of cinnamon. The end result is a cake so beautiful and lofty, it's hard to imagine it was made entirely by hand, no mixer needed.
This is apple cake perfection, full of moist apple goodness and a thick buttery glaze. If you are going to top the cake with the glaze, start making the glaze immediately, while the cake is still warm. Another option for serving this cake would be to finish it with a simple dusting of powdered sugar once it is cool. A dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream would also be very good.
