Cinnamon Bun Bundt Cake

I seem to be in a bit of a bundt pan mode lately.  When you do cake in a 9x13 pan it just doesn't seem very special but layer cake are sometimes more hassle than I want to go through, so a nice bundt shape wins as the compromise between the two over and under achieving extremes.

It's a good thing I didn't go through a whole lot of hassle on the cake I made for my week to bring Sunday School refreshments since we ended up being snowed in and unable to show up. Definitely not a problem we would've had in San Diego! My Sunday School cake wound up being deferred to Monday night where the Readin' and Ramblin' gals ate it up.

I think I envisioned a gooey-er result with this cake, based on the name. Something more akin to a bundt pan form of those Corner Cafe super decadent cinnamon rolls that have about twelve million calories per bite. The difference isn't a bad thing and, really, I guess it isn't so surprising that a cake would have the texture of and taste like, well...a cake!

If I make this cake again, I think I'd experiment with more of the "filling". My final result didn't have as great a ratio of filling to cake as I might have hoped. Maybe I'm just looking to have a reason to be all scientific about amending a recipe?? Ever since I attended a book signing by Deb Perelman (YES!!!!!) and heard her describe the way she goes through countless carefully documented revisions on any recipe she creates, I've imagined what it would be like to be that scientific in the ktichen. Her process of writing out every single thing she does in a recipe and then continuing to write up each change sounds incredibly grown-up and proficient and professional, not to mention way more tedious than I'm willing to put up with. Chances are I'll be sticking to doing a recipe as written and then accepting what comes out.

One last thing to love about bundt cakes is the way there always seems to be an overabundance of frosting. Who doesn't like a cake drenched in lots of icing???? More importantly, who doesn't like enough frosting that you have plenty to lick and eat by the spoonful as you're frosting your cake????

Cinnamon Bun Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1  1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
2  1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 smal package instant vanilla pudding mix (4 serving size)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Swirl
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1 Tbs. Cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tbs. flour

Cream Cheese Glaze
4 oz. cream chesse
2 cups confectioners sugar
2-3 Tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray bundt pan with cooking spray and flour the inside. Spread the 1/3 cup pecans on the bottom of the pan and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix. Set aside
2. In a standup mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Add the flour alternatively with the sour cream and milk mixed with the vanilla and ending wit the flour. Beat well for 2 minutes.
3. Mix the swirl ingredients together. Pour half the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan, take half the swirl mixture and with your hands drop small pieces all around the center of the batter, connecting the filling like a ring in the middle. Pour the remaining batter in and top with the rest of the swirl mixture, pressing it into the batter slightly again making a ring in the middle of the batter. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Then carefully place on a cooling rack to cool completely. The cake is so moist it can be made a day ahead of time, wrapped with foil.
4. When ready to serve, whip together the cream cheese glaze by creaming the cream cheese until softened, slowly add the confectioners sugar and vanilla. Add enough milk for desired consistency. Beat for 3-4 minutes on high to remove any lumps. Pour over cake and serve.