cranberry walnut bundt cake

I found this recipe while searching for a good Thanksgiving dessert that wasn't pie and had nothing to do with pumpkin or cream cheese. (There is a place for that, of course, in pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin cheesecake, but sometimes you need a break.)

I think bundt cakes are cake beautiful, especially when topped with a glaze. I bought chocolate, coffee, and walnut ice cream to have with the cake. Walnut was my favorite.

For the recipe, I was not particular about espresso powder, instant coffee, 2+1 instant coffee, maple extract, maple syrup, pancake syrup, etc. Use what you have available to approximate the flavor combination.

CRANBERRY WALNUT BUNDT CAKE

for the streusel
½ cup light brown sugar
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tsp instant espresso powder

for the cake
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple extract
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 cups dried cranberries

for the glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp instant espresso powder

COMBINE the streusel ingredients (brown sugar, walnuts, and espresso powder) in a small bowl and set aside. Combine eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and maple extract in a small bowl and lightly beat. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a third bowl.

CREAM butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add 1/3 of the egg mixture, then 1/3 of the flour mixture, alternating. Stir in the cranberries. Pour 1/3 of the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Layer with 1/3 of the streusel. Repeat twice.

BAKE at 325°F for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, cream, and espresso powder in a medium bowl. Drizzle over cake.