Lemon Rum Apple Bundt Cake for the Quiet Mornings

Today is the last day of winter break, and the last day I can guilt free utilize the morning to bake a delicious something. For Christmas I got a Kitchen Aid mixer, and haven’t had a chance to play with it. If I didn’t color this fancy black new machine with flour and finger prints before the winter quarter started, I know its untouched presence would haunt me, and possibly tear me away from my studies.

I awoke before Dane with the first morning light, and quietly made my way to the kitchen. There she was perched on the counter, sleek as the night. It was time to put this black beauty to use! I craved something moist, something fruity, and something light. I wanted a sweet treat that we could eat with our morning tea, or become a decadent evening dessert. I always have apples and lemons on hand. What better than an aromatic lemon rum apple bundt cake?

A blend of organic whole-wheat flour with unbleached flour makes this treat richer in fiber and B vitamins. I grated an apple into the mixture, to keep the cake moist, reduce added sugar, and increase the fiber. Lemon juice and lemon zest brightens the flavor of the cake, complementing the heavy notes of rum, while vanilla lingers in the background balancing the cake entirely.

Sweetened with only ½ cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons maple syrup, this bundt cake remains lightly sweet and airy. Organic butter can be substituted with coconut oil, but the freshly laid, omega-3 rich eggs, are too good to be replaced. With yolks as deep orange as the sunset, the eggs that our compost-eating hens lay, are like liquid gold.

Prior to serving dust the cake with powdered sugar, and voila you have a beautiful treat! If serving as a dinner dessert, serve with a dollop of freshly homemade whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Lemon Rum Apple Bundt Cake
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
1 large apple, grated with skin
1 large apple, peeled and cored, sliced thin
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup almond milk, or any other choice of milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 organic lemon, juice and zest
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp rum extract
powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together melted butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Add the 3 eggs, vanilla, and rum extract.
3. In a separate bowl mix together both flours, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, slowly adding in the almond milk, creating a smooth mixture.
5. Add in the grated apple and lemon juice.
6. In an oiled bundt pan, pour half the mixture into the pan. Then carefully in a circular fashion, place the thin apple slices on top of the layer.
7. Finish by pouring the remaining half of the mixture on top of the apple slices, and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar.
8. Put into preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
9. When done, allow the cake to cool about 20 minutes, and then place a cooling rack on top of the pan. While holding the rack firmly on the pan, quickly flip the pan and the cooling rack upside down to remove the cake from the pan and leave it cooling on the rack.
10. Once the cake is cooled, or prior to serving, dust with powdered sugar. Serve with tea or coffee, and if you crave something decadent, top with a dollop of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.