Election Cake
Bake this cake to celebrate our right to vote! This is a vintage cake dating back to the colonial period. It is not too sweet- perfect for breakfast or dessert. Best served warm!
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
- 2/3 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
- 1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 grams)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 8oz) softened
- 2 eggs large, lightly beaten
- 1 and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup buttermilk (see notes)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp orange zest (from about 2 oranges)
- 1 and 1/2 cup dried fruit (I used 1/2 each of dried cranberries, blueberries, and golden raisins) soaked in whiskey or brandy
For the glaze:
- 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 Tbsp orange juice, brandy, or whiskey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare the batter:
- Put your dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with whiskey or brandy. Set aside for the fruit to soak up the liqueur (Note: Best to do this a few hours in advance or up to 1 day in advance.)
- Pour the warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle with yeast and a little pinch of sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. It should get cloudy and foamy.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- When the yeast is ready, add 1 cup of the flour mixture to the bowl of your sand mixer and mix on a slow speed with the paddle attachment. Add butter and beat to combine.
- Scrape the bowl and then add the brown sugar, buttermilk, orange zest, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the eggs and mix until just combined. At the very end, pour in the rest of the flour mixture and beat slowly until just barely combined.
- Drain any extra fruit juices (or save for the glaze) and toss fruit with about a tablespoon of flour (this prevents the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Add fruit to the batter and gently fold to combine.
- Grease your bundt pan with magic paste (see notes) or butter and flour. Pour the batter in the pan and cover with a tea towel. Let rise for 1 hour (it should rise to a little below the top of the pan).
- While it is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- When the batter is ready, bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for a least 10 minutes in the pan- this will let it slightly strink from the sides, making it easier to release. After it has cooled, carefully invert it onto a wire rack.
For the glaze:
- Wisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice (or brandy), and vanilla. Slowly pour over cake. Vote and enjoy!
Notes
- Buttermilk: I never buy buttermilk. Fill a 1 cup measuring cup almost all the way to the top with milk. Fill the rest of the way up with apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice or white vinegar). It should be about 1 tablespoon. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Magic paste: I found this recipe from Haley of If you Give a Blonde a Kitchen and it works really well! https://www.ifyougiveablondeakitchen.com/grease-cake-pan-release/