Wedding Bundt Cake

When the going gets tough, some people turn out to be utter angels and restore your faith in humanity. Enter Nicola. I barely know her, yet her kind words have been a real comfort to me when I felt at my lowest. She's a little firecracker whose positivity is truly infectious. She reminded me that choosing happiness really is the best way, and that negativity has no place in my life.

Well she was getting hitched. There was only one thing for it. Nicola is a designer, a lover of hip hop, uses words I don't understand, and is generally down with the kids in every fashion. It had to be the naffest of all wedding inspired cakes; I'm talking feathers, fake rings, pearls, glitter, silver balls, a garter, and those God-awful kitsch decorations that can still be sourced in 70s friendly cake decorating shops. Unfortunately, most folk through it was pretty! Oh, and it was made using her favourite beer. Obvs.

I hatched a plan with my pals Katey and Rick to surprise little Noo on her last day in work before the big day. Needless to say she was over the moon with her cake, which made me a happy little bundt baker. Bundts happen to good people...

Pics shamelessly stolen from Instagram @Noo_Law

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter
• 100g of vegetable fat 
• 550g golden caster sugar
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 6 medium eggs
• 450g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 250ml Heart and Soul Session IPA (or lemonade, or anything else fizzy for that matter)
• Still tropical water (not essential, but will bring out the tropical flavours in the hops)
• 300g icing sugar
• The naffest of sprinkles and decorations.

Method

1. Grease and flour a regular sized bundt tin (2.4l, 10 cup, 10 inch). 
2. Soften the butter and vegetable fat and then cream in the sugar in stages.
3. Add the eggs one at a time on a slow setting.
4. Add all the remaining dry ingredients to a large bowl.
5. Sift in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed by 1/2 of the liquid. Repeat until all the flour and liquid is used up. Fold it in gently...
6. Tip: at this stage it will look a horror. Do not worry... 
7. Give the whole thing a quick mix for about 10 seconds or until well combined. Tah dah!
8. Spoon the mix into the tin.
9. Bake at gas 3/160 C for about an hour and a half. Just turn it after about an hour.
10. It should be shrinking from the sides and a skewer should come out clean.
11. Let it cool in the tin for ten minutes then turn it out. 
12. Allow to cool fully before icing. 
13. Mix the icing sugar with the flavoured water, so that it's a thick, yet pourable texture. 
14. Tip it over the cake with the same frivolity as tossing a bouquet! Same goes - try not to hit anyone.
15. Sprinkle with as much naffness as you can get your hands on.

Bloggers: Please respect the fact I am sharing my own ideas and basic recipe. Blood, sweat and many tears have gone into getting this right, so you may enjoy a perfect bundt. If you wish to re-blog a recipe from these variations, please credit my blog and link to this original post rather than pasting the recipe on your own page.