Maple Cream Bundt Cake

Lets get the formalities over and done with - hi! Happy Sunday! Yeah I haven't blogged for a while. I promise I will be more consistent at blogging from now on. I'm shocked and offended that you don't believe me - have I done anything to give you the impression that that is a promise I won't keep? Let me clarify, have I done anything specifically in the last 5 minutes to make you think that I would break that promise? Nope, I did not think so!

Now that we're done with that, can I have a little moan? And I ask rhetorically because y'know, it is my blog and I'm only asking to be polite, I am going to have a moan.
It is June! June! Half way through the year ... summer in most places that have summer at this time of year (except England obvs) ... the 6th month of the year ... y'know, June!
And I haven't been on holiday yet! I don't even have a holiday booked! Yup, I know. The tragedy.
I was thinking Trek America but it's pricey, Malta maybe, but let's be honest, I'll probably just end up in  Greece (which is beautiful and amazing but I've been a hundred times) and call it a day. So this is a shameless appeal to anybody with a holiday home or 5 star hotel in the Seychelles, Bora Bora, Hawaii or Tahiti to please have me over for a week. No less. I'll consider Cape Town and the Caribbean too. Please don't all get in touch at once ;p

While we're on the topic (or not), have you guys checked out the website for my business? www.ermionisbakeshop.com ?! There is only one correct answer to that question. ("Yes", in case it is unclear what the right answer should be). Thank you to the amazing Kylie Larsson for designing it for me. As well as doing all my branding!

I was very excited to get to use my bundt cake tin on this cake! To me, bundt cakes epitomise what a cake should look like and when I got a bottle of maple syrup from a friend as a gift, this was the first thing I thought to make - it is a dense, not too sweet cake (despite all the condensed milk) with a wonderful maple flavour that's just there enough; perfect with a coffee!

Recipe from Lauren's Latest, adapted very slightly here.

Ingredients
For the cake
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 3/4 cup plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 can of sweetened condensed milk (396g)

For the frosting
57g softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (for garnish) - I used slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 170C / Gas mark 3 / 325F. Coat bundt cake tin liberally with non-stick cooking spray. (I buttered and floured my tin). Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whip oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs together until combined.
3. In a small bow, stir together sour cream, milk and maple syrup.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together.
5. With mixer on low, alternate dry ingredients with milk mixture (dry ingredients in three batches, milk mixture in two) until everything is just incorporated. Scrape sides of bowl and mix briefly.
6. Pour batter into prepared bundt tin, level the top and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and cool in the pan 15 minutes. Poke small 1 inch deep holes (using a toothpick) into the top (which ends up being the bottom) of the cake and spoon 1/3 of the sweetened condensed milk into the holes and over the visible cake. Let this soak in 15 minutes and then turn cake out of pan onto cooking rack. (You may want to run a knife along the sides to ensure the cake will come out of the pan nicely).
8. Poke more small holes (about 2 inches deep) into the top of the cake and brush the remaining sweetened condensed milk into the holes and over the entire cake using a pastry brush so it is completely covered. Let cake sit 1 - 2 hours so sweetened condensed milk can be absorbed. (Don't be afraid to use all of the condensed milk - your cake will not be too sweet I promise!),
9. Carefully remove cake from cooling rack and place onto cake stand (It will be sticky).
10. For the frosting, whip butter and maple syrup together until combined. Stir in vanilla and icing sugar until completely smooth (I would do this with a mixer). Spread frosting over top of cake and down the sides slightly. Top with chopped walnuts.
11. Store in a cool dry place in an air tight container or cake tin/stand.