If you’ve ever watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you know the hullabaloo caused by a bundt cake. It’s an American classic that is as American as apple pie and casseroles. I never grew up eating bundt cakes, and only really splurged on the occasional Nothing Bundt Cake at birthday parties. But I’ve grown fond of them for their signature shape and the infinite number of bundt cake molds you can buy.
When I saw these Wilton mini bundt cake pans, I knew there was something I wanted to make with them but didn’t land on it until I remembered my mom making me salabat earlier this year. Salabat is a Filipino tea that you make by steeping ginger in hot, boiling water. Since I have a sweet tooth, I like to add copious amounts of lemon and honey. It’s a soothing concoction when you have a sore throat or a bad cough. In a time when even a common cold makes me terrified of it maybe being COVID-19, salabat helps me to calm down and I can drink at least a little bit of my fears away.
These mini salabundt cakes have a ginger cake base that is moist and the only labor-intensive part of making these is grating ginger! I always underestimate how long it takes me to peel each thumb and get the grating process going, but it’s worth it. Fresh ginger makes a huge difference you can taste, and I recommend taking the time to grate it even if the ground ginger in your spice cabinet is calling your name.
Another crucial part of the process is making sure you use a good nonstick spray to spray your pans with. I know the heartbreak of cakes not coming out of their molds, and you don’t want this to happen to you! I love Pam’s Baking Spray because it already has flour added, which guarantees a smooth release. All of my cakes came out perfectly without any trouble after using this Pam (not sponsored just a fan!). For the glaze, make sure you sift your powdered sugar as well. There’s nothing worse than a lumpy glaze that’s difficult to pipe. For your glaze consistency, I like mine on the thicker side but feel free to add more lemon juice or water if you like it thinner.
It’s getting cold out there and it’s a joy to have anything that reminds me of home! These mini salabundt cakes are full of spicy ginger flavor and taste delicious with a tart lemon-honey glaze on top. Pour yourself a nice warm cup of salabat and enjoy it with these salabundt cakes this autumn! 🍂
Salabundt Cakes
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 4 ounces fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup mild molasses
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- nonstick spray, for prepping the pans I use the Pam Baking Spray that has flour in it and it's a godsend!
For the Glaze:
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- candied ginger, diced
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Position the oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray the mini bundt cake tins with nonstick spray.
- Grate ginger into a large bowl. Stir in the molasses, sugar, and oil. Mix well. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.
- Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan, stir in the baking soda, and then mix the hot water into the ginger-molasses mixture.
- Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the batter. Add the eggs, and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into each cake cavity and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the top of each cake springs back lightly when pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes for at least 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cakes to loosen them from the pans. Remove the cakes from the pans.
For the Glaze:
- In a medium sized bowl, add powdered sugar and lemon zest.
- Place honey and lemon juice into a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds.
- Pour honey, lemon juice, and vanilla into the bowl with powdered sugar, then whisk to fully combine and until the mixture turns into a thick white glaze.
- Pipe glaze onto bundt cakes and top with bits of candied ginger.
