Cider 5 Spice Bundt Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Equipment: 1 x 10-cup (2.5 litre capacity) bundt tin/pan or 1 x 20cm/8-inch square cake tin approximately 5.5cm/2 ¼-inches deep.
• Open the cider so that it loses its fizz. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3/325ºF, and grease your bundt tin with non-stick cooking spray, or simply oil it, and leave the tin upside down on a piece of newspaper or baking parchment while you get on with the batter.
• Measure the oil, brown sugar and (whether you're weighing it or going for volume and using a cup measure, always lightly oil the receptacle for the treacle first and it will slide out easily) black treacle into a bowl.
• Pour in the cider and crack in the eggs, add the ginger and beat till smooth. While I use a freestanding mixerto make this cake, it's simple enough by hand: in which case, beat the eggs together first before adding to the other ingredients.
• In another bowl measure out the flour, baking powder, bicarb, nutmeg, 5-spice and cinnamon, and fork through to combine.
• Gently tip the dry ingredients into the wet treacly mixture, beating as you go to make a smooth batter. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl well to make sure there aren't any pockets of flour.
• Pour the dark and aromatic batter into the prepared tin: it will be very runny, but don't be alarmed. Place in the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes, but start checking after 40. When the cake's ready, it will start to come away from the sides of the tin and a cake tester should come out clean; that's to say, not wet, but with some crumbs adhering to it. Transfer the bundt to a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then use your fingers to help prise the cake away from the edges of the tin, most particularly around the funnel, and turn out. Leave to cool completely before wrapping, first in parchment and then foil, as it tastes best if eaten the next day. I don't always manage this.
• STORE NOTE: The cake can be kept loosely wrapped in its parchment and foil, in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.
• FREEZE NOTE: The fully cooled cake can be tightly wrapped in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil and then frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, unwrap and place on a wire rack and leave at room temperature for about 5 hours.

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (8- by 2-inch) round cake pans and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together flour (1 1/2 cups), baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a medium bowl.
• Combine apple cider and lemon juice in a small measuring cup.
• Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, then add brown sugar and beat until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (mixture will look curdled).
• Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and cider mixture alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter between cake pans (batter will form a thin layer) and rap pans on work surface once to release any large air bubbles.
• Bake cake layers until they begin to pull away from sides of pans and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool cake layers in pans on racks 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of each layer and invert layers onto racks. Cool completely, at least 1 hour.
• Make buttercream while cakes cool:
• Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Whisk in cider, then bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly, and boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute (mixture will be very thick). Transfer to a metal bowl and set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, then stir occasionally until cool, about 30 minutes.
• Beat butter in a large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, then add one third of cider mixture and beat until incorporated. Add remaining cider mixture and continue beating until smooth.
• When cakes are cool, arrange 1 layer flat side up on a flat serving plate or cake stand and spread top with 3/4 cup buttercream. Top with remaining cake layer flat side up. Frost top and side of cake with remaining buttercream. Chill 2 hours before serving (to firm up buttercream).