The Boozy Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Bundt
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Back in 2011, I made my first original recipe cake in observation of National Bundt Day, and it is now the longest creative streak I’ve maintained in my life.
Back in 2011, I made my first original recipe cake in observation of National Bundt Day, and it is now the longest creative streak I’ve maintained in my life.
November 15 of 2023 found me looking back over a streak that began on that same date in 2011, the first year I was aware of National Bundt Cake Day in time to do something about it.
Unfortunately, November 15 of 2023 also found me looking 5 days into the future, when my husband would have his second round of chemo.
This was my 12th time observing National Bundt Cake Day by creating an original recipe cake. I woke up in the wee small hours of the morning of November 11 realizing I had no idea what I was going to bake, and almost immediately thereafter knowing this was the cake.
In 2011, I began my tradition of baking an original-recipe Bundt cake in observance of National Bundt Day, which is November 15th.
In March 2017, I wrote up the post for the cake I baked in November 2015. I wasn’t planning on that tardiness becoming part of my tradition, but here we are today, in July 2019, and I’m writing up the cake I baked in November 2018.
I’d be lying if I said I know where the month of June went. I have vague recollections of a few things. My dogs both had dental work done. My husband went on his annual two-week writing retreat. Nobody died, and at some point I must have done laundry. Other than that, your guess is really as good as mine as to what happened during that 30 day span of my life.
For this, my 7th year observing National Bundt Day by baking an original-recipe cake, I had very little idea what would happen. But I had leftover lemon avocado buttercream in my refrigerator and love in my heart. I also had a bag of cacao nibs and, like many of you I’m sure, any hint of a mention of the word “cacao” brings to mind one thing.
Thus, in all its quirky, vegan, repurposing, cacao-inclusive glory, the Portlandia Bundt was born.
Imagine it’s November 2015, and you are someone who, for the previous four years, has baked an original recipe Bundt cake in observation of National Bundt Cake Day, which is November 15.
Now let’s fill in some imagine-time details. Close your eyes, and picture a calendar showing November 17. Picture your kitchen counter, showing no sign of any remnants of the cake you baked two days before, because you didn’t bake one. Picture a bunch of odds & ends in your refrigerator and cabinets from various other baking you’ve been doing. Picture yourself just done with the whole idea of ever baking anything else ever for all ever time again ever because you are seriously over carbs and sweets and frosting and you’re already dreading all the Christmas baking you’re going to start in a few weeks. Picture your doneness, your sorrow, your angst, your dread. Now close your eyes a little harder, and picture what you know in your heart will make all of that better.
I have been celebrating National Bundt Cake Day by baking an original recipe Bundt every year since 2011. 2015 was not an easy year, the streak almost came to an end, but I persevered and in 2016 headed into November with not only a perfect record but actually prepared. As in, thanks to my phone making notes for me 10 months in advance, I was reminded on November 8th that I needed to shop for the unique ingredients necessary to make the cake a friend on my Facebook page had suggested, a Bundt version of a Harvey Wallbanger.
This is my fourth year observing National Bundt Cake Day by baking an original recipe cake, and as there has been in the three years prior, there is a near & dear emotional tie to the cake I’ve chosen.
The first year saw my Tiramisu Bundt, a farewell baking as one of the last things I made in the tiny apartment kitchen that was home for almost fifteen years before we bought a house. The second year gave me the Avenging Dark Chocolate Bacon Scourge Bundt of Doom, vengeance for a wrong done to a dear friend by a food blogger during the previous NBCD festivities, and also to vent some of my frustration at the 2012-13 NHL lockout. Last year, I honored through Bundt a precious girl who I only knew for a short time but who will live in my heart forever, Chiquita the Pitbull.
This year, I had no idea what I wanted to bake, so I put out a call on my Facebook page for suggestions, requests, etc.
Back in 2014 shortly before Halloween, a Facebook friend posted a link to an article titled “7 Wines To Pair With Your Favorite Halloween Candy”. My thought at first glance was “OH YAY HELL YES” because while the consumption of sugar and alcohol may for some be an enjoyable pastime, for women in their forties it is an invaluable survival technique that can never be too refined.
Sadly, I quickly noticed a lot of things very wrong with this article.