Plum Pudding

Plum Pudding....Not an easy task but well worth the effort!  It's like nothing I've ever tasted before.  Here's where I found the cake recipe:
 Making Life Delicious

For Sauce:

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp. Cornstarch

4 Tbsp. Butter

Dash of Salt

1 1/2 Cups Hot Water

1 Tsp. Rum Flavoring

Combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, butter and salt with the hot water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until slightly thick.  Remove from heat, and cool slightly.  Add the rum flavoring.  Pour warm sauce over plum pudding cake.

For Cake

• 3 cups packed coarse fresh breadcrumbs from white bread
• 1 cup dark raisins
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup currants
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon mace
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 lb (2 sticks) melted unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 large eggs
• a few drops of almond extract
• 1/2 cup bitter orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup bourbon or dark rum
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts ( not on original recipe

** I used a small metal bundt pan and only used 1/2 of the batter.  You can do this and make two small cakes or use a bigger bundt pan and get one large cake.


 1.   In a food processor, combine raisins, and currants.    Pulse to mix and slightly grind up the raisins, don't over do it though . Remove from processor and combine this to the bread crumbs.   Set aside.  
 2.  In the same food processor add sugar, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, melted butter, salt, eggs, almond extract, marmalade, rum and nuts.  Pulse until blended throughly.
 3.   Mix wet ingredients with the bread crumb/raisin mixture.
 4.  Stir until blended.
 5.  Grease you pan.
 6.  Pour batter 3/4 full.
 7.  Cover bundt pan with parchment paper then with tin foil.
 8.  Tie a double piece of kitchen string around basin to secure. To make a handle, tie a double piece of string loosely over the top of the basin.  You need to put something on the bottom of the stockpot to act as a stand for your bundt pan.  If you place it directly on the bottom of the stockpot it won't cooked evenly.  I used a large square cookie cutter.  Some people use an empty can of tuna with the top and the bottom cut off.  Just don't sit it directly in that pot!


 9.  Place bundt pan in a large stock pot and carefully fill water so that it comes 1/3 of the depth of the bundt pan. Bring water to boil, lower to simmer and continue to simmer for 6 hours. Check periodically and replenish the water as it evaporates.  I had to do this several times throughout the 6 hours. 
10. Carefully remove bundt pan from stock pot and cool on a wire rack. Cool to room temperature.  Remove cake from bundt and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.  Should last in the refrigerator for a couple of week. I don't think it 'll last that long in my house!



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Blueberry Almond Buttermilk Muffins

 Every time I buy buttermilk I only end up using about 1/4 cup, then I'm  left with a giant bottle that sits in the refrigerator going to waste.  This morning I did a little internet surfing and came across this great looking blueberry buttermilk muffin recipe.  I slightly adapted it by adding slivered almonds ( because I think they go great with blueberries and I love a little crunch) and sugar crystals to the top.  Other than that, I followed it exactly as written.  I found it on food.com by Dorel.  

They came out amazing, crunchy on the top and tender in the middle.  Great with my morning coffee.  

Now what to do with the rest of the buttermilk??

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups Flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs Beaten

1 Cup Buttermilk

1/2 Cup Oil

1 1/2 Cups Blueberries

1/2 Cups Slivered Almonds

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Sugar Crystals 

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients.

2.  In a medium bowl whisk eggs, buttermilk and oil and vanilla. 

3.  Mix together wet and dry ingredients, stir until blended.

4.  Fold in blueberries and almonds.

5.  Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full, sprinkle with sugar crystals.

6.  Bake in greased muffin tins at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes. 

Print Here 

Pistachio Bundt Cake

Happy Monday!  
I made this cake on Sunday and it turned out
very moist, very dense and very very good!  The family gave it  two thumbs up.  

Print Here 


Ingredients:

For Cake:
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix ( 15.35 Ounce)
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Water
3 Whole Eggs
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Box Sugar Free Pistachio Instant Pudding ( 1 Ounce) 

For Topping:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Butter Softened
2-3 Tablespoons Milk or 1/2 and 1/2

1/8 Cup Chopped Shelled Pistachios
1/8 Cup Chopped Milk Chocolate Morsels
1/8 Cup Chopped White Chocolate Morsels

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Beat cake mix, oil, eggs,water, sour cream and pudding mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.  Pour into greased bundt pan.
3.  Bake for 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.  Cool completely before frosting.

For Frosting:

In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla  and milk.  Stir, add more milk to get to desired consistency.   Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle chopped nuts and chopped chocolate.  Serve.