Apple Bundt Cake Bliss

There is something so homey about a bundt cake sitting on nice cake plate. I think every bundt cake I've ever had, either made by me or someone else, but homemade - has been moist and tender. Chocolate, lemon, buttery vanilla - classic standbys that always look good and are pleasing to everyone, you can never go wrong. 

I have to admit it took me a long time to bake with apples. I dearly love them but have always been hesitant to bake with them. Not the case anymore, over the past year I have cooked many apples and I am always pleased when I do.

Apple Cream Cheese Filled Bundt Cake

Apple Filling
2 large apples - Granny Smith, cored and peeled and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon Angostura bitters

Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon Angostura bitters

Cake
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt pan, then dust with flour - generously.
You will need 3 bowls.
Peel, core and slice apples, mix in bowl with sugar and cinnamon and bitters.

In another bowl, using a mixer, mix cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg, orange zest and bitters. Set aside.

For the cake, sift flour and baking powder. Add sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and orange juice. Mix until thoroughly combined. Pour 1/3 of this mixture into prepared bundt pan. Evenly spread apples over the batter. Spoon all of cream cheese mixture over the apples (this does not have to be perfectly even). Pour remaining batter into pan and place in oven for 60 - 70 minutes. Make sure to test with a skewer to make sure cake is thoroughly baked. Work around the edges of pan with a small to loosen cake. Cake should come out easily if it is completely cool. Dust with powdered sugar.

Angostura &...

There are so many refreshing non-alcoholic drinks that are wonderful with Angostura!

I don't drink soda, but one of the most refreshing drinks that I like is Angostura Bitters and tonic water. Now that the tempurature has gone up, it's wonderful; and on a hot summer day nothing could be better. Just pour tonic water in a glass and as many dashes of bitters to your liking - I like a lot!

Think SUMMER!!!
Lemonade with bitters...fresh grapefruit juice...any variety of fruit punch...smoothies - absolutely! Pineapple, banana, mango, berry; adding bitters gives a depth of flavor and uniqueness...shakes and ice cream...vanilla is my favorite with bitters, and it goes very well with chocolate...orange sherbet/vanilla with bitters added...pecan praline flavor is to die for...omg rum raisin ice cream mixed with bitters...

I cannot fully explain my love for bitters, I just do. In warmer weather I tend to go through more bottles...

A Bitters Moment

Whenever I see my bottle of Angostura bitters in my kitchen, I see home. I feel my grandmothers presence in my kitchen. To open the bottle and smell the aromatics, lifts me. There are many things in my home that make me feel home as I knew it growing up with her, but there is something about the senses being lifted that keeps me close to her.

I splash it in tonic water, milk or orange juice. I add it to anything with cinnamon or my stir fry's, over fruit and cottage cheese. I love the stuff. I have to have my bitters moment of the day...

I could not go a day without seeing the bottle in my kitchen, next to my stove, a permanent fixture in true retro-classic style. If I've said it once, I'll say it a million times, Angostura rocks!!

For the Love of Bitters

Angostura Bitters, that is.

My favorite Inspiring Ingredient.

Angostura Bitters is the true flavor of Trinidad. It's in the Caribbean culture; no kitchen is complete without a bottle - and not just for drinks. My grandmother was born and raised there and it was she that introduced me to the flavor, very simply, in a glass of milk with sugar. I can remember once after not having it for a long time and recognizing its flavor and asking what it was and she told me all about it. Telling many Trinidad stories was her forte but I will always remember hearing about her friend Patsy Seigert and Angostura. She always had it on grapefruit with a sprinkling of sugar but together we tried it on all kinds of things, mainly sweet things and fruit.

She once made a Planters Punch for a Pool Party and I tasted it after she had to make a second batch. The secret she held up was Angostura, saying it like she liked the way it felt to say it. There was pride attached. She and her sister were quite clear about the fact that there really was no party if there was no Angostura and that her punch was not American punch. I had no doubt even then that they knew how to party.

Most of my adult life I have always had a bottle in the kitchen; for the milk and sugar and grapefruit. I've been experimenting with bitters for several years now. My natural instinct was to add it anything sweet, so that's were it started. Mixing it with vanilla and fruit and sugar. Advancing to chocolate and adding it to sweet/spicy things like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. It is potent and a little goes a long way.

It's a bit of an acquired taste and some people love it and know it can be used in many different ways. It's always a bit of an experiment. A 'let's see how it would taste' thought comes to mind and then being pleasantly surprised.

Add it to Anything Sweet - add it to vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, spice cakes, pumpkin pie (pumpkin anything). Have a vanilla latte with several dashes of bitters. A hot chocolate. Fruit. Yogurt. Always add a bit of sugar to taste. Add it to marmalade and conserves and chutney. An upside down cake like mango or pineapple. Custards. Puddings. Fruit Cobbler. Chocolate Fudge or Truffles. When you make a smoothie, add some bitters. OMG don't forget cheesecake. Banana bread. Lightning strikes and the possibilities are ENDLESS!!!!

Add it to Anything Savory - Add it to marinades, anything with the combination of soy, ginger and garlic, like pork dumplings. Meatloaf. Turkey Burgers. Add it to your ham glaze with pineapple juice. Any Asian recipe like sweet and sour.

Whenever there is citrus in a recipe, think to add bitters, whether sweet or savory.

Mixed with savory ingredients and a very slight amount of sweetness it blends with other flavors like it should have always been there.

Explore with it. Have some fun with it. Maybe you'll fall in love with it, I did.