Hello March

What a lovely non winter we have had.  We were gone during the worst of it in January and came home in February to spring.  Next week it will be in the seventies and we are opening the pool, not because there will be swimmers but because it looks nicer for Easter guests. Matt, our grandson, suggested it and said he would do the first cleaning of the pool for us this year. The sooner you open the pool the less murky and dirty it will look, so we are getting a really early start this year.  Matt will also drag out and power wash all of the furniture that seems to have just gotten settled in storage.  Time rushes by and it is not just the older people saying this, things are moving faster for everyone.

Yesterday I was in the mood to view cakes and their recipes, and today in Cook's Corner the bundt pan was featured because Nordic bundt pans were lauded since they are turning 70 years old. I bought several new bundt pans from Nordic and the first cake in each pan slid out with ease.  After that they became stubborn and I could not get the cake to release.  I am going to have to figure out what causes this because it is a waste of money, time, and nerves.  I've greased them by hand, I've sprayed them, I cannot think what else I can do to get them to behave.  If you have any ideas, I would like to hear from you at dorislechler@aol. com.

 The bundt pan was about to go down the tube until a lady presented the tunnel of fudge cake recipe during a Pillsbury baking contest.  She saved the company with that recipe and her recipe will be fifty years old this year. I must confess here and now that I have never tried to make a tunnel of fudge cake. But reading the recipe with Lisa Abraham's note makes me want to try . "Don't leave out the nuts, which are essential to the structural success of the cake."  You know I have made tube cakes before which rise beautifully only to have them sit down as though they are tired when turned out from the pan.  Does that mean that nuts are essential to the structural success of all tube pan cakes? Well, good luck and here is an example of the Pillsbury tunnel of fudge cake recipe that saved Nordic except the original recipe called for Double Dutch butter cream frosting which is no longer made. I hope the company gave the winner more than a new bundt pan as thanks.

Tunnel of fudge cake (recipe from Cook's Corner)

makes 16 servings
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups butter or margarine softened
6 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups  chopped walnuts

Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
4-6 teaspoons milk

Oven 350

Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch tube pan. In large bowl, combiner sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; blend well.
By hand, stir in flour and remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter into greased and floured pan and spread evenly.
Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from the pan.
Cool up right in pan on wire rack for 1 1/2 hours.  Invert onto serving plate and let finish cooling for 2 hours.
Glaze:
 In a small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzle consistency.  Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store tightly covered.

Good luck.  LOL

Nordic ware offers 50 pan designs and to mark their anniversary they will release three new ones--release (that's the key word here.)

 second prize, Ella's

recipe, was featured on
the recipe book that year.

Original recipe:

Tunnel of Fudge Cake
1 1/2 cups soft Land O' Lakes Butter
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups Pillsbury's Best Flour (Regular, Instant Blending or Self Rising*)
1 package Pillsbury Double Dutch Fudge Buttercream Frosting Mix
2 cups chopped Diamond Walnuts

Oven 350° [ed. 350 F / 175 C]
10-inch tube cake

Cream butter in large mixer bowl at high speed of mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually add sugar, continue creaming at high speed until light and fluffy. By hand, stir in flour, frosting mix, and walnuts until well blended. Pour batter into greased Bundt pan or 10-inch Angel Food tube pan. Bake at 350° for 60 to 65 minutes. Cool 2 hours, remove from pan. Cool completely before serving.

Note: Walnuts, Double Dutch Fudge Frosting Mix and butter are key to the success of this unusual recipe. Since cake has a soft fudgy interior, test for doneness after 60 minutes by observing dry, shiny brownie-type crust.

*For use with Pillsbury's Best Self-Rising Flour, decrease butter to 1 cup. Cream butter in large mixer bowl at high speed of mixer. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each. At low speed, gradually add flour, then sugar, mixing until well blended. By hand, stir in frosting mix and walnuts. Blend well. Pour batter into greased Bundt pan or 10-inch Angel Food tube pan. Bake at 350° for 65 to 70 minutes. Cool 2 hours. Remove from pan. Cool completely before serving