As I had been researching...like I do...I started getting drawn to some of the foods & decor. I also discovered St. Lucia Day, and in researching, will be better prepared for next time around for it, too.
But I digress...
I have taken a liking to the Scandinavian culture & finding out about it. However, I am not Scandinavian at all (I don't think)...but I'm taking on some of the dishes like I have with my Irish dishes (find recipes HERE), but I do have a lot of Irish in me.
Again...I digress...
I took on some baking a few years ago, and really took a hold of the cupcake. But I would play with cake mixes. I've done a couple from absolute scratch, but if I can have a base already, just use it & expound upon it! Right?
Now, if you remember, I discovered the Scandwich, and have been playing, in a near obsessive manner here lately. (see what I've done HERE) But I wanted to try some of the desserts. I've cheated some pastries, but I wanted something different!
Now, I've got some bundt cake pans that I love making breads & cakes with...because they turn out so pretty! They are already presentable, or near presentable, just as they are right out of the oven. *sigh*
Quite some time back, I saw a pan with a set of 6 smaller bundts. So cute! It was like 6 top tiers of a wedding cake...but in bundt form! I really wanted a pan or two of these. Then, because it's my brain we are talking about here, I thought about calling them "baby bundtings"! hehe
So, I had asked for a pan or 2 on my Christmas wish list for the last couple of years. Imagine my surprise when I received a pan that contained 12 tiny bundts! *SQUEEE* I didn't know they made 'em so little! Then, later on Christmas...I got another one! I was so excited!!!
Cake mixes generally make about 24 cupcakes. I now had 24 itty-bitty baby bundtings so I could bake a whole batch at once! Woo Hoo!!
So, I started researching Scandinavian cakes to make...and hopefully, since there's a company called Nordic Ware (so fitting though the pan shape is not Nordic), I thought they were a perfect match...so I matched 'em up!
After doing some research & with my preference of cake mixes, I made some Baby Bundtings out of this:
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SCANDINAVIAN-INSPIRED
ALMOND & CARDAMOM CAKES
ALMOND & CARDAMOM CAKES
Ingredients:
Baby Bundtings
1 box Pillsbury Traditional Vanilla cake mix
5 eggs
3 sticks butter, melted
1 1/4 C milk
2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp ground cardamom
Glaze Topping
1 C granulated sugar
1/4 C milk
1/2 T vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract
sliced almonds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, put in the cake mix, eggs, butter, milk, almond extract & cardamom
With a standing mixer or hand-held mixer, mix all of these ingredients together until very well blended & completely moist
In your mini bundt cake pan (or cupcake/muffin pan), spray rub down with butter or shortening & flour, or spray with a cooking spray that has flour in it; I used the spray
* If you are using a cupcake pan, you can just use cupcake liners, if desired
Fill each space 2/3-3/4 full
Place the pan(s) into the oven & bake for about 18-23 minutes (depending on your oven), or until golden & a toothpick comes out clean
Once done, pull out of the oven & allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan (if using the mini bundts); if using a regular cupcake pan, allow to cool for about 5 minutes before removing from the pan
While cooling, in a small bowl, pour in the sugar, milk, and vanilla & almond extracts and stir well, until the sugar is dissolved; add in more sugar or milk until you have your desired consistency - and set aside
When cooled, remove from the pan & place each small cake into a cupcake liner (if not already in one)
Take a small spoon & begin to drizzle the glaze over each small cake
Sprinkle a few sliced almonds on top of each cake
Serve
Yield: up to 24 mini cakes/cupcakes
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You could use it as one big bundt cake, too, if you wanted.
As I was "testing" them (*wink-wink* someone's gotta do quality control), I realized how delicious they would be with a cup of coffee! What a great after dinner finisher! Or even after lunch...
ENJOY!
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