Gilded-inspired Honey & Walnut Mini Bundt Cakes

““What’s your favourite dessert?” The question was so unexpected that Serilda had to laugh. She thought about it for a moment.
”When I was young, my father would always bring home honey walnut cakes form the markets in Mondbrück. Why do you ask?””
— Gilded, Marissa Meyer

I know, I know. I didn’t technically recommend this book. But here we are. I’m only human and there’s a literal scene about a cake!

I couldn’t resist. 

 
Seven mini bundt cakes on a gold plate, viewed from above
 

I didn’t have any over-ripe bananas on hand when I came to make these, so I had a go at this banana-ripening hack: https://bakingmischief.com/quickly-ripen-bananas/ 

I’ve concluded that while cool and 100% successful, I still prefer the zero-effort of finding that one forgotten, abandoned, blackened banana behind the bread bin. It’s a system that works even better for this recipe, since it only calls for one banana. I’d definitely lean on the hack for an actual banana bread or something. They usually call for at least 3 bananas and we never have that many bananas leftover in our house (which is not at all related to how they’re my dog’s favourite fruit). 

 
A chocolate labrador, her nose on the table edge, begging for food

Is that a…banana you have?

 

Also, my big tip for this recipe is PREPARE YOUR BUNDT MOULDS. I have silicone ones, which are in my opinion much kinder than regular metal baking tins. Even so, I brushed them with melted butter and dusted with plain flour. I’m not going to lie, it’s messy and a pain in the a**. But when the finished cakes that you’ve worked so hard on come sliding out of the moulds in one, perfect piece, it will be so worth it.

 
Two red silicone mini bundt cake moulds; brushed with butter and dusted with flour, waiting for cake batter

You can buy these from Amazon - Beware though; I’m quickly becoming addicted to mine, even thought they’re an absolute b*stard to clean.

 
“Leyna glanced over toward the castle.
”If you do become a ghost,” she said, “I promise to always set out honey and walnut cakes during the Feast of Death. Just for you.””
— Gilded, Marissa Meyer
 
Mini Bundt cakes on a gold plate, a copy of Marissa Meyer's Gilded in the background
 

Honey and walnut Bundt Cakes

Ingredients:

  • 1x box Betty Crocker Velvety Vanilla Cake Mix (DO NOT do what I keep doing, and adding more vanilla to this mix because you are a goon who keeps forgetting it’s VANILLA FLAVOURED ALREADY.)

  • 90g butter, melted (plus extra to brush moulds, and a couple tbsp plain flour to dust the moulds)

  • 180g sour cream

  • 3 medium eggs

  • 1/2tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/4tsp ground ginger

  • 1/4tsp ground nutmeg

  • Grated zest of one orange (feel free to eat the orange while you bake; you don’t need the juice)

  • 1tbsp runny honey

  • 1 over-ripe banana, mashed

  • 80g toasted walnuts, chopped (confession; I sometimes make this with chopped toasted hazelnuts. It is the MAX.)

For the syrup:

  • 100g caster/granulated sugar

  • 175g runny honey (plus optional extra to decorate)

  • 2tsp pomegranate molasses

  • 80ml water

N.B: since this recipe is a cheat’s version of one from Lola’s: A Cake Journey Around the World, the syrup is meant for a full size bundt cake. You could halve it, and cut the cooking time to 2 minutes. But sugar makes me nervous and I have in fact gummed up my whole kitchen by overcooking this exact syrup and ending up with EXTREMELY sticky honey caramel. So I’ve never tampered with it, and can’t make any promises.

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan/Gas 4). Butter and flour 2x 6-hole mini bundt moulds (a 12-hole muffin tray works just fine too. Or 2x 12-hole cupcake trays, though it might not be enough mix to fill them all).

  • Add the spices and orange zest to the cake mix. In a bowl, mix the butter, sour cream, eggs, honey and banana. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk (by hand or electric mixer) for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Fold in the walnuts.

  • Divide the mixture evenly between the moulds.

  • Bake both trays together in the centre of the oven for 18-22 minutes. (Mine mostly only take 15 - but my oven is a bit… eager.) Stick them with a toothpick: when it comes out clean they’re done.

  • Remove from oven and leave to cool in the moulds.

  • Meanwhile; make the syrup. Place all syrup ingredients in a small pan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Pierce the cakes all over with a toothpick and drizzle over some of the syrup. Leave them to sit for a minute or two, then pour over about 1tsp more per cake; until they’re all covered.

  • Allow to sit for an hour to absorb the syrup, then remove the cakes from their moulds.

  • Decorate with a drizzle of honey. (As you can see, I dusted mine with icing sugar. But I’m rebellious that way.)

  • Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days.

“The world was full of small enchantments, when one was willing to look. And Serilda was always looking.”
— Gilded, Marissa Meyer
 
Mini bundt cakes on a gold plate, one with a big bite out of it
 

FYI, these are badass the next day, when the flavours have had a chance to “mature.” So if you can persuade friends and family to keep their mitts off the last few, you’ll have a treat waiting for you the day after all your hard work. Call it a chef’s tax.

And that’s goodbye lovely reading bakers. May you never be taken prisoner by an evil Fairy King, and may your bundts always release from their moulds.

xxx