Vegan Mofo IV Week 4- I Like Big Bundts and I Cannot Lie

I forget how it started, but I remember calling bundt cakes, butt cakes, when we were growing up. I don't know whether they had a popularity flare up in the early eighties of if that is just when my mom got into them but I remember there was a brief burst of bundt activity in our home. I liked the special pan and the fun drizzly glazes that were usually involved. This was all before I was really allowed to help out, unless licking the beaters/bowls clean counts.

My mom's old bundt pan is still hiding in a cupboard somewhere, but I am a stubborn brat and had to get my own. I wanted to get the Bavaria one when it was on sale, but I didn't for some silly reason. After that I was on a mission to get any fluted pan, even if it was the o.g. bundt I grew up with. I finally found one on sale, with the accompanying cake keeper for about $20.00, and it was red, even better. I know I mostly was paying for the keeper but I'm a sucker for cute packaging, and my bundt is gonna get around, okay?!

I was super excited to make a bundt of my own and had the perfect "bring to the family dinner" recipe thanks to Vegetarian Times. They had a gorgeous Maple Bundt Cake I knew I had to make, especially after my first taste of TJ's Maple Cookies, which set me on the road to maple madness. I reviewed the ingredient list and thought I had everything until I got to the end where it listed maple extract. I just sorted out my baking supplies and I have tons of extracts, but not a drop of maple. I looked for it at the health stores but couldn't find it. Avert your eyes, I had to get imitation maple at the regular grocery store. I'll have to dig deeper to find the pure stuff for next time, but it only needed 2 tsp. so hopefully it will not suffer too much. Don't tell anyone I faked it!

If it tastes half as good as it smelled, I know I will be making this again. Depending on how late we stay, I will have to report back on how it really turned out. I am waiting to dust the sugar until it's time to serve so I will have to get a photo of that as well. I know it would be more dramatic with the Bavaria pan, but this bundt is still booty-ful.