The Bakewell Bundt
The Bakewell Bundt is my homage to the classic Bakewell tart. Bringing together the elements of the popular tart, this cake is not only tasty but super simple & quick to make.
The Bakewell Bundt
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What Is The Bakewell Bundt?
The Bakewell Bundt is my creation based on the classic flavours of a Bakewell Tart, but in cake form & more specifically a bundt cake!
Using almond extract, ground almonds (almond flour), Glacé cherries (candied cherries) & icing, I have re-created the Bakewell Tart into a delicious but easy to make cake.
Why Use This Recipe?
- Unique Recipe
- Quick
- Quicker than making a tart
- Easy To Make For Beginners
- Full Step-By-Step Recipe & Video
- Inexpensive To Make
- Homemade
- Fully Tested & Used
- No Additives, Preservatives Or Artificial Sweeteners
Quick & Easy Recipe
Like all of my recipe tutorials, the recipe is broken down into step-by-step instructions with detailed process photos to guarantee success.
Not only an easy to make cake recipe, but so much quicker to make than the traditional Bakewell tart with all its elements. So perfect when you are short on time.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Here are the ingredients for this Bakewell Bundt Cake:
(*note ingredient amounts are listed in the Recipe Card*)
- Butter, unsalted
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Ground Almonds*
- Almond Extract
- Glacé Cherries*
- Orange extract
For The Decoration:
- Icing/Powdered Sugar
- Almond Extract
- Cherries
- Coconut
- Flowers (optional)
Butter
Unsalted butter should always be used in baking. To control salt intake, & salted has a higher water content than unsalted. Result is, the fat content is lowered, & can have an effect on results for some bakes. Furthermore, the amount of salt, can vary from brand to brand. It does seem since the pandemic, more companies are increasing the salt & water content, with many people suddenly after years of making the same cookies say every Christmas, having disastrous results.
Eggs
Medium sized eggs are typically used in British baking, & equates to about large sized US eggs. Also make sure to always have your eggs at room temperature before using. So ideal to remove from the fridge same time as your butter.
Glacé Cherries
Another component of Bakewell tarts (& many UK recipes), is Glacé Cherries. The US equivalent of Glacé cherries is candied cherries, or even cocktail cherries, but be sure to wash off the syrup.
Sugar
Caster sugar is used in most UK recipes & is finer than granulated sugar, but not as fine as icing/powdered sugar. (See my comparison photo). The finer sugar granule, when creamed with butter, creates air pockets that help the cake rise better. You could use granulated but the texture will be slightly different. The US equivalent is Extra/Super Fine Sugar, but you can lightly process some granulated to make Caster Sugar. But use the photo as a reference.
Ground Almonds
For bundt cakes a good cake base is ideal and the use of ground almonds, gives that added structure, but also flavour & moisture from the oils in the almonds.
The US equivalent is almond flour, or you can use fine/extra fine almond meal that is less expensive. Read more about differences between UK & US baking Ingredients.
**Note, a lot of British recipes use ground almonds, such as Madeira Cake and even Traditional British Christmas Cake. Or you could try macarons, by my friend Sally – here is her Macaron Recipe @For The Love Of Cookies, or watch her make them in a Macaron Video.
Coconut
Coconut is not typical for a Bakewell tart, but is very typical for my recipes! It looks good on the cake and hides any boo boos you might have made with the icing/glaze.
A very common pantry staple for UK bakers, is Desiccated Coconut. The US equivalent is Unsweetened Shredded Coconut.
However, the former is in much finer pieces to shredded coconut. (See my comparison photo above ). So I recommend a light chop of the shredded coconut to look the same, & be easier to use on the detailed bundt cake.
Recipe Yield
This recipe makes 1 full sized bundt cake, with a yield of at least 12-16 slices.
Bundt Tin/Pan
The bundt tin/pan is by US company Baker’s Secret & their Pandora Fluted Tube Pan. As seen in the video, I got in the UK from TK Maxx for only £14.99. With dimensions of 9.5″ (24.2cm) x 3.7″ (9.5cm), it is about a 9-10 cup capacity. Nordic Ware & other brands do the same design.
Bundt Cakes Sticking?
So you love bundt cakes and all the fancy bundt tins/pans, but hate using it because your cake sticks?
Well I have the answer you have been waiting for – homemade lining paste (cake goop). This paste is used for greasing your cake tins and more. Made from just flour, oil & vegetable shortening, it is so inexpensive to make, sits in the fridge ready to use whenever you need it.
But best of it, it is magic for bundts! Simply brush on the lining paste to the inside of the bundt tin/pan, in generous layers & upward strokes where possible. Pop the batter in right away and once baked, leave the cake to cool for 30 minutes before turning out. Not leaving to start to cool or leaving too long and your cake can stick in any bundt pan.
Learn how to make your own homemade lining paste/cake goop.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1.Begin by measuring out your butter & leaving to soften. I always cube my butter, in small pieces, about 1cm (⅓”), as this smaller surface area softens quicker. Alternatively, watch a video of a hack for softening butter in about 12 minutes. Make sure your eggs are room temperature too.
2. Meanwhile, wash the cherries in warm water and then pat dry with some kitchen paper/paper towel. Cut in half & then toss in about 1 – 2 tbsp of flour to coat.
3. Once the butter is soft, ‘cream together’ with the sugar. This involves beating them together till smooth and paste-like, and a paler colour. See Photo 1.
4. Crack one egg in at a time, mixing well in-between each addition.
5. Sieve over the flour and baking powder.
6. Add in the almond extract & orange extract, followed by the ground almonds.
7. Mix briefly by hand, before moving onto using a hand-mixer or stand-mixer, making sure to start on lowest speed to begin.
8. Beat only until everything is combined and no dry flour patches remain. Scrape down the sides & be sure not to over-mix.
9. Heat the oven to 180°c/160°c fan oven/350°f/Gas Mark 4.
10. The batter will be relatively thick, see Photo 3 & the video for reference. But if your batter happens to be much thicker, add a few drops of warm water or milk.
11. Next, add 1/3 of the flour coated cherry halves into the cake batter. ‘Fold’ into the batter by hand. No using the mixer or you will over-mix & deflate the batter. (See the video for how to do this).
12. Reserve about 8 cherry halves, and fold the remaining cherries into the batter. Doing in increments, ensures a better distribution of the cherries.
13. While waiting for the oven to come to temperature – grease the bundt tin/pan. Grease really well to ensure the cake comes out intact.
Grease with homemade lining paste (cake goop), cake release spray, or butter with a dusting of flour. Never bake without greasing, even if ‘non-stick’.
I highly recommend using your own homemade lining paste. Also known as cake goop, this is inexpensive & easy to make & lasts well, for any greasing in baking or cooking. Read how to make lining paste/cake goop.
Decant 1 tbsp of the paste & brush well into all the nooks & crannies & brush in upward strokes where possible.
14. Carefully spoon the batter into the greased bundt tin/pan, levelling off & smoothing as best as possible. See Photo 5.
15. Add the reserved cherry halves to the top of the batter, before tapping the bundt tin/pan on the counter/worktop a good few times.
16. Pop the cake in the centre of the pre-heated oven.
17. Bake for about 50 – 60 minutes until fully cooked. Place foil on top at about the 25-minute mark to prevent further colouring but to allow the cake to fully cook in the centre.
The cake will have risen well, be golden, a toothpick will come out clean of crumbs and the cake will have started coming away from the sides of the tin/pan. See Photo 6 & the video.
18. Leave to cool same way up, (don’t turn it over). Place on top of a cooling rack. (See Photo 6 where it is better to use a higher cooling rack if possible).
19. Leave the bundt cake for 30 minutes. Don’t try any sooner but don’t leave too long either or the cake can stick.
20. Place a large plate, cake stand or serving platter, on top of the cake. Hold everything together, while turning the cake over.
21. Place down on the counter/worktop and give the bundt tin/pan a few taps.
22. Place back onto the cooling rack & carefully lift off the bundt tin/pan. See Photo 7 where I used homemade lining paste/cake goop to grease & the cake came out great.
23. Leave to cool down more before any decorating.
See here the cake in all its glory. A good golden crust but not dry. Instead, well defined, showing the beautiful detailing of the bundt tin/pan. See the video too of how it looks close up.
Decorating The Cake
1. Once cooled (about 30 minutes), you can cut & serve as is, or decorate. Go simple and show the detailing of the cake, by just adding a dusting of sieved icing/powdered sugar on the top.
2. Alternatively, you can decorate with cherries & an almond flavoured glaze, making it a true Bakewell Bundt!
3. Sieve the icing/powdered sugar into a small bowl.
4. Add in the almond extract 1 tsp of water or milk.
5. To work it in, push down on the sugar with the back of a spoon, making the sugar take on the liquid. Work slowly with adding the liquid and this ensures you don’t add too much and avoids having to keep putting more sugar in than needed.
6. Gradually add more liquid, 1/2 tsp at a time, mixing and pushing down until a paste is formed. Then start adding with 1/4 & 1/8 tsp amounts till a thick but pourable consistency is achieved. See Photo 9.
7. For this particular style or pattern of bundt, I started by adding the glaze to the very top 12 groves. These were shallow, so more tricky to avoid drips.
After trying a few different ways, (brushing, spooning etc), the easiest overall is a small piping bag or piping syringe with a small round nozzle. Even a little food bag would do. Using a toothpick also helps to spread the glaze into the areas you want.
8. Next, you want to add the 10 cherry halves to the next row out. But to do this, you need to hold in place with some glaze. So go ahead and add a little of the glaze inside each ‘pocket’, before placing the cherry half on top.
9. Add some coconut on top of the glaze from row 1, and then move on to adding more glaze on each row, alternating the pocket filled, as seen in Photo 10.
10. Add coconut to the glaze & finally use a small brush to brush off any unwanted coconut. Leave for at least 15 minutes for the frosting to set. Adding dassies or flowers is optional but effective and a nice contrast.
Serving & Storing
1.The Bakewell Bundt cake is now ready to slice & be served.
2. Recipe yields 12 slices and can be enjoyed with your favourite tea or coffee.
3. This bundt can be left out for a few hours, but best stored in an airtight container like a cake or cookie tin. Or under a cake dome, at room temperature. Storing in the fridge runs the risk of condensation.
4. Will last up to 1 week in a tin, about 5 days under a cake dome, and longer if also wrapped with parchment.
5. This type of cake, even frosted, can be frozen for up to 3 months1. Best to not add the cherries or remove before freezing. Whole or individual slices should be wrapped well with paper, then foil or cling film/plastic wrap, before placing in a food bag or air-tight container. Additional layers, offers more protection from freezer-burn. Defrost the cake at room temperature before serving. More information can be found at FreezeIt.Co.UK – Madeira Cakes.
Recipe Card
Bakewell Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Digital scales or measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Stand/Hand-mixer
- Sieve
- Large Bundt Pan (Mine is a 10 cup/24cm (9½") diameter by 9½ cm (3¾") deep* – see notes)
- Cake release ( Homemade Lining Paste/Cake Goop or butter & flour*- see notes)
- Timer
- Wooden Cocktail stick
- Cooling rack
- Knife & chopping board
- Small bowl for cherries (plus 1-2 tbsp flour)
- Extra small fine brush (optional)
- Piping bag & small round nozzle (optional – or small food bag)
Ingredients
For The Cake Batter:
- 226 grams Butter ( 8 oz, 1 cup, – unsalted, cubed and softened )
- 226 grams Caster Sugar (8 oz, 1 cup Extra/Super Fine Sugar)* See notes
- 5 Medium -Large Eggs (US – Large to Extra Large)
- 225 grams Plain Flour (8 oz, 1 ¾ rounded cups All Purpose Flour, or UK Self-raising, less the baking powder* See notes)
- 3½ tsp Baking Powder (omit is using Self-raising)
- 65 grams Ground Almonds (2⅓ oz, ⅔ cup Almond Flour, ¾ cup fine Almond Meal) * see notes
- 2-2½ tsp Almond Extract
- 1½ tsp Orange Extract
- 161 grams Glacé Cherries (5⅔ oz, about ¾ cup Candied Cherries or Cocktail Cherries, whole*)
- 2¾ tsp Warm Water (or milk)
For Decoration:
- 62 grams Icing Sugar (2 oz, ½ cup, Powdered Sugar, sieved)
- ¼ tsp Almond Extract (add more to taste)
- 1½ tsp Water (or milk – please add gradually*)
- 15 grams Glacé Cherries (½ oz, about 10 cherry halves*)
Instructions
Prepare The Batter:
- Measure/weigh the butter & leave to soften. **Tip – cubing the butter to 1cm (⅓") pieces softens the butter quickly. Alternatively watch this softening butter hack and make sure the eggs are room temperature too.
- Meanwhile, the 161 grams Glacé Cherries should be washed in warm water, patted dry with kitchen paper (paper towel), cut in halves & tossed in 1-2 tbsp flour.
- Once softened, cream the 226 grams Butter & 226 grams Caster Sugar, before adding in one egg at a time, mixing in-between each addition.
- Sieve in the 225 grams Plain Flour & 3½ tsp Baking Powder, then add the 2-2½ tsp Almond Extract & 1½ tsp Orange Extract, followed by the 65 grams Ground Almonds .
- Mix briefly by hand before using a hand-mixer or stand-mixer to mix just until all ingredients are combined. The batter is thick, but if your batter is thicker than in the photos/video, add a few drops of warm water or milk.
- Set the oven to 180°c/160°c fan oven/350°f/Gas Mark 4.
- Fold in 1/3 of the flour coated cherries to the cake batter, reserve 8 cherries before folding the rest of the cherries.
- Well grease the bundt tin/pan, with cake release spray, homemade lining paste/cake goop or butter & flour. (See the step-by-step instructions of the video for applying the lining paste).
- Carefully add the batter to the greased bundt, smoothing off, before adding the reserved cherry halves to the top of the batter.
Bake & Cool The Cake:
- Tap the bundt on the counter/worktop a few times before placing in the centre of the pre-heated oven to bake for 50-60 minutes. Cover with foil after 25 minutes & continue baking till a cocktail stick, (or wooden bbq skewer), inserted as far down as possible, comes out clean of crumbs.
- Leave to cool on top of a cooling rack for 30 minutes, before placing a plate on top, turning everything over & releasing the cake. Leave to cool before decorating.
Decorating:
- Eat plain, with a dusting of icing/powdered sugar, or decorate as follows: sieve the 62 grams Icing Sugar before adding the ¼ tsp Almond Extract and some of the water/milk. Mix till a paste is formed before very gradually adding more liquid till a thick but pourable consistency. (See video).
- Carefully add very small amount of the glaze to the groves & pockets of the bundt cake, starting from the top, (using a ¼ tsp, or a small piping bag), before adding coconut on top. Place the 10 reserved cherry halves (ones with no flour coating), on the top layer, held in place with glaze.
- Use a very small brush to brush away any excess coconut. Leave to set about 15 minutes.
Serving & Storing:
- Slice into 12 servings and enjoy with tea or coffee. Store in an airtight container such as a tin, for up to 1 week, 5 days under a cake dome.
- Freeze slices or the whole cake, (less the cherries), well wrapped in paper, before adding cling film/plastic wrap, & finally in a labelled food bag or container, for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Ground Almonds – substitute with Almond Flour or fine/extra fine Almond Meal. Make your own by bashing whole almonds, skins on, before processing. See my ground almond photo for reference photo.
Glacé Cherries – US equivalent is candied cherries or cocktail cherries, but be sure to wash off the syrup.
Recipe Yield -at least 16 slices from the cake.
Try my Original Madeira Loaf Cake recipe, or with cranberries and orange
Please see the main recipe blog for more information.
All cake recipes can be found on my Cake Page.
To rate the recipe or leave feedback, please scroll all the way to the bottom of the main recipe post. Many thanks.
Nutritional Information: I am not a qualified nutritionist, and all values are approximate. 1 serving is one slice, from a yield of 16 slices, assuming all ingredients & glaze & cherry topping is used as per the ingredient list above. Cut larger or smaller slices & these values will change. All nutritional information from website MyFitnessPal.com.
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Reference:
- Freezing bundt cake information from FreezeIt.co.uk @ Freeing Madeira Cake Information ↩︎
