Nuts – Feasting Is Fun

Every year I try to make my Father in law’s birthday cake. Since his favourite cake is Classic Coffee Walnut Cake, creating twists on the original are fun. So, this year I switched things up and made a Coffee Pecan Nut Glazed Bundt Cake. Baked in a beautiful Bundt pan and finished with a latte coloured coffee glaze. I am assured that this cake was a big hit.

FF Coffee Pecan Nut Glazed Bundt Cake — Coffee Pecan Nut Glazed Bundt Cake

While the nuts may have been switched up, the cake still has to deliver one hundred per cent on flavour. Using espresso powder gives an intense coffee flavour, without being overpowering or bitter. Adding chopped pecans provides crunch against the super moist crumb of the cake. Finally, a simple coffee icing glaze not only picks out the detail of the cake shape, but also provides a first, sweet, coffee bite into the cake.

Since a birthday must be celebrated and a celebration demands a cake (or it is just a meeting), baking a beautiful cake is something I take pleasure in. As much as everyone takes pleasure in eating it! Candles, beyond a certain age, most definitely become an option. Yet, a little sparkle adds a special edge. So edible gold glitter, liberally sprayed over provides the ‘wow’ that sets this cake apart from others.

Photos were taken with artificial light, never ideal, show this cake as yellow gold. However, in natural light the glaze is a latte colour with a slight shimmer from the glitter.

Recipe: Coffee Pecan Nut Glazed Bundt Cake serves 8-10

For The Cake:

300g/11oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature

300g/11oz Caster Sugar

2tsp Espresso Coffee Powder dissolved in 1tbsp hot water and allow to cool – alternatively use 4tsp Camp Coffee

1/4tsp Salt I use Maldon

5 Large Free Range Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Extract I use Nielsen-Massey

100g/4oz Natural Full Fat Yoghurt such as Yeo Valley

150g/5oz Chopped Pecan Nuts

275g/10oz Plain White Flour

2.5tsp Baking Powder

For The Glaze:

400g/14oz Icing Sugar

1tsp Espresso Coffee Powder dissolved in 1tbsp hot water or 2tsp Camp Coffee

Optional – Edible Gold Glitter – available from My Cake Decor

Note – this recipe uses a 10 cup Harvest Leaf Bundt Pan from Nordicware. Ensure you use a 10 Cup Bundt. I recommend Wilton cake release spray (also available in a bottle, shake and brush on to the cake tin), to ensure the cake releases from the Bundt Pan.

Making The Bundt Cake Batter

Method: Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan, 325F, gas mark 3

First of all prepare the Bundt pan. Spray with cake release and use a pastry brush to ensure every part of the Bundt interior is completely coated.
Next, in a large bowl add the butter, sugar and salt. Whisk together until pale and creamy.
Now add the eggs, vanilla extract, espresso and yoghurt.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Whisk all ingredients together until just combined.

Finally add the chopped pecans to the cake batter and fold into the mix with a spoon.
Now spoon the pecan studded cake batter into the prepared Bundt Pan. Push the mixture down into the pan so the every part of the intricate mould is filled.

Baking And Turning Out The Bundt Cake

Place the cake into the centre of a preheated oven and bake for 60 – 70 minutes.
The cake is baked when it is golden in colour and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Once baked remove the cake from the oven and leave to sit for 10 minutes in the pan.
Then turn the cake out on to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

Glazing The Bundt Cake

As soon as the cake is cooled it is ready to decorate.
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the espresso liquid and enough water to create a thick glaze.
Place the cake, still on its cooling rack, over a clean baking tray.
Due to the addition of coffee in this glaze it forms a crinkle skin quickly. Work quickly, without rushing, when glazing the cake.
Starting at the top of the cake spoon over the thick glaze. Continue spooning the glaze around the cake until the entire cake is covered. If necessary spoon glaze that has dropped through to the tray over the cake, covering any holes in the glaze finish.

As soon as the glaze has stopped dripping and is starting to set transfer the cake to a board or plate.
Dust the cake with edible gold glitter once the glaze has fully set.

I couldn’t resist a photograph with fairy lights!

Slice the cake to serve.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Refrigerate during warmer weather.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Coffee Pecan Nut Glazed Bundt Cake you may also like these:

Chocolate Cherry Chiffon Bundt Cake

Maple Syrup Iced Coffee Bundt Cake

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Baking for others is a great way show you care and treat them at the same time. While a birthday without a cake is unthinkable in many homes, other bakes can also be made. Our youngest daughter usually prefers this Raspberry Chocolate Pavlova, for her birthday and our eldest always has two cakes. An ice cream cake and a baked one. Whatever is baked and celebrated with, it contains one thing it’s mass produced copies don’t. Love. The most important ingredient in any bake.

Whatever you are making baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing your feast.

Sammie xx

Please note, no part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

I am so loving the longer daylight hours at the moment. Feeling as though I want to make the most of every drop of sunshine. Winter being a distant memory, I’ve been out in the garden, clearing, ready for sowing and planting. Don’t worry I have also been in the kitchen baking and these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are the delicious result.

When the weather is warm and the sun is shining I simply love being in the garden. Listening to the chatter and chirruping of birds, feeling the warmth of the sun on my back, our garden becomes my haven again, after the long, cold winter months.

Easy Recipes For Breakfast On The Go

So being able to eat breakfast, or more usually brunch, outside is very much treasured. These Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are perfect to munch on whilst sitting on our garden bench, hot cup of coffee to hand. Packed with slow energy release oats, they make a tasty, yet filling alternative to toast or cereal.

FF Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks — **Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks** so good with a cup of good coffee.

This recipe is so simple and quick. A few minutes in the kitchen melting, mixing, baking and cooling means that you can have a great, portable bar, that is perfect for breakfast on the go, packed lunches, getting through the late afternoon energy dip. Plenty of deicious bars to see you through the week.

That has to be a winning recipe – right?

I love easy recipes – more so during the warmer months, when my passion for cooking and baking is matched by my passion for gardening. Yes I still have to work around my body (see – Living with siezures ), that just makes the time I have even more precious. Whilst in the winter I can happily spend all day – relatively speaking – in the kitchen, during warm spring and summer days my preference is to be outside.

Baking According To The Weather

My hubby jokes that I was born wearing Wellington boots! Whilst I may not be able to do the heavy digging of years past, I still like to get my hands dirty. I’ve also found, especially during the hotter months of summer, baking is best done first thing in the morning. That way there isn’t a hot oven baking bread, mid afternoon, just as the temperature outside is peaking.

Macadamia Nut Dried Apricot Flapjacks — **Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks** crunchy, chewy and full of flavour.

Easily Made Gluten Free Traybake

Back to the Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks! The macadamia nuts add a buttery crunch to these bars that I absolutely adore, however, I know they can be pricey. A great substitute would be almonds, either flakes or whole almonds that you chop yourself. I have used dried apricots that are the gorgeous tangerine orange of their fresh counterparts, however, if you prefer the darker, unsulphured apricots, use them instead. Good quality rolled oats, absolutely make these flapjacks the stars that they are.

I have specified that these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are gluten free, please check the labels of ingredients carefully to ensure that they are so. This is vital when baking for someone on a restricted diet. Their health absolutely cannot be compromised.

Recipe: Makes 12 Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks

250g/10oz Unsalted Butter – plus a little extra for greasing the tin

100g/4oz Golden Syrup (light corn syrup)

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon

125g/5oz Light Brown Sugar

325g/11.5oz Rolled Oats (not quick cook) – I used Delicious Alchemy as they are 100% gluten free

150g/5oz Dried Apricots – chopped into rough quarters

100g/4oz Chopped Macadamia Nuts – I buy whole nuts and roughly chop them myself

Optional – 100g White Chocolate – alternatively use milk or dark chocolate

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4, 350F

Making The Flapjacks

Grease and line a 8″ x 11″ – 20cm x 28cm swiss roll tin/shallow baking tin, with butter and baking parchment.
Into a medium saucepan add the butter and sugar. Warm over a medium heat, stirring until melted.
In a large bowl add the golden syrup.
Pour the melted butter/sugar mixture into the bowl containing the golden syrup. Stir continuously until combined.
Add the oats, chopped apricots and macadamia nuts and stir to thoroughly combine.
Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press down using the back of a metal spoon, until the mixture is one even layer.

Baking The Macadamia Nut Apricot Flapjacks

Place the tin in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes exactly.
The flapjacks will be a light golden colour when baked – do not be tempted to bake them for longer as this will result in them being hard, not chewy!
As soon as the flapjacks are baked remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool completely.
When completely cooled remove the entire flapjack bake from the tin, using the excess baking parchment to help lift it out.

**Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks** ready for the finishing touch.

As seen above, cut down the middle length of the bake and then across the width. Cut each quarter into 3 generous bars – you could cut each quarter into 4 making 16 individual flapjacks in total.

Finishing With A Chocolate Drizzle

To finish the flapjacks – chop the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof, microwaveable bowl.
Zap for 20 seconds at a time, stirring between each heating session.
When the chocolate is half melted, remove from the microwave and stir until completely liquid.
Fill a small disposable piping bag with the melted chocolate.
Snip off the very end of the bag, creating a small hole.
Pipe swirls or zig zags of chocolate onto each flapjack to provide a beautiful finish.

Ooh how completely yummy do these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks look?

A couple of notes: During the summer, once the flapjack bake has cooled to room temperature, if the ambient temperature is 25C or above, it may be worth popping the tin in the fridge for an hour to allow the flapjacks to completely set. Likewise, unless the flapjacks are stored in the fridge I would leave off the white chocolate drizzle. If these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are going to get warm throughout the day, whether in a packed lunch box, or a bag, the white chocolate will melt and create a whole lotta mess!

This is just my advice as a mum of three and wife to hubby who takes a packed lunch to work.

Im just sayin’!!!

Love these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks? Here are a couple of other recipes you may like to try as well.

Coconut Almond Date Flapjacks

Bakewell Shortbread Bars

Cranberry Walnut Flapjacks

While spending time in your kitchen, baking and cooking, have you ever thought of making extra and sharing some?

We all have people in our neighbourhood who are lonely and perhaps a little unhappy. Inviting them round for a chat over a cup of tea and delicious slice of cake, or flapjack, may seem such a small thing to us and yet can make the world of difference to someone else’s day.

Time seems to be so precious to many, which is why it is such a valuable gift to give.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.