Election Day Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl. Stir a few times, then let stand until the yeast has dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Sift 1 1/2 cups of the flour into the bowl, and stir until mostly smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for about 30 minutes. The mixture will expand, loosen in texture and have large bubbles on the surface.
• Meanwhile, place the dried fruit, pecans, brandy and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl, stir until the sugar is dissolved, then microwave until hot and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir, then set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Generously butter a 12-cup Bundt pan; set aside.
• When the flour-yeast mixture has risen, beat the butter with the granulated sugar and remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until combined (the mixture may look slightly curdled at this stage), then add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Beat in the flour-yeast mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, then gradually beat in the flour-spice mixture. Raise the mixer speed to medium, add the fruit-nut mixture with any remaining liquid and beat until the fruit is well blended. The dough should be soft, loose and elastic, almost like brioche dough or an extremely thick batter.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared Bundt pan, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the dough fills the pan a little more than 3/4 of the way, about 1 hour. When the cake is almost done rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the cake. Bake the cake until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula, and turn the cake out, flat-side down, onto the wire rack to cool completely.
• Before serving, stir together the confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon of the milk and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. Gradually add as much of the second tablespoon of milk as needed to make a thick glaze that will just gently run. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to run down the outside and inside.

Steps:

• Pour the warm water into a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve.
• Add 1 cup/130 grams of the flour and beat until well blended. (The mixture will be quite stiff.) Add the butter and beat until smooth. Add the remaining 2 2/3 cups (340 grams) flour, plus the eggs, light brown sugar, buttermilk, baking soda, spices and salt; beat for 3 minutes.
• In a small bowl, toss the raisins and pecans with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour until coated, then stir them into the batter until distributed.
• Using butter, grease two 8 1/2 -by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Divide the batter evenly between both pans, then cover loosely with towel and let rest for 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center tests clean, about 1 hour or up to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar with the water in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Place the dried fruit in a large bowl. Add the sugar mixture and whiskey; stir and set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine warm water and milk.
• Combine yeast with 1 cup of whole wheat flour and combine it with the milk mixture. Sprinkle the remaining whole wheat flour on top. Set aside to allow the yeast to ferment until the yeast breaks through the surface of the flour, approximately 30 minutes.
• Lightly spray and flour an 8 inch tube pan.
• Sift together the remaining dry ingredients and set aside. Drain the fruit mixture; reserve for the syrup for later use as a glaze.
• Beat together the butter and the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar until it is light in texture. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Add the flour/yeast mixture; mix until fully combined. Add the remaining sifted dry ingredients. The batter will be stiff. Stir in the drained fruit.
• Place the batter in the pan, cover, and set in a warm area to allow the cake to rise, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: In a medium sized bowl, combine the 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons of the syrup reserved from the drained fruit. Stir until smooth and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake cake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes and transfer cake to a wire rack to cool. When cool, lightly brush with reserved syrup and top with glaze.