Bake Someone Happy this Spring. (stay home and bake a cake!)

Post Update 3/19/2020

Who knew that enduring a viral pandemic would be something we'd be doing this Spring? Or that non-essential businesses, including our 7 retail stores would be ordered to close. We must all do our part to flatten the curve. PLEASE! Be smart. Be safe. Be kind. Stay home when possible, practice social distancing, especially with older and health-compromised friends and relatives. And, remember, this too will pass.

Well, at least I got the S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D part right. Enjoy the post, and bake a cake!

- Frankie

(Published March 2nd, 2020)

For many of us, Spring can be a busy time of year. Within the next two months there are several religious holidays, countless college graduations, and Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 10th. Things can get hectic fast. All of these feasts and celebrations need to be planned and prepared while also having to find time to file your taxes. And, the end of the school year is fast approaching. YIKES.

Let's turn S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D around and spell D-E-S-S-E-R-T-S with these show-stopping Spring Cakes. If you wanna go beyond the traditional flat round cake, keep reading because Nordic Ware knows how to bring cakes to life! Plus, they are super easy to make. #turnstressedintodesserts

Nordic Ware 3-D Bunny Cake Pan

Create this rabbit cake for Easter or any time of the year! Great for baby showers, birthdays, or just because! Use a standard cake mix, your own recipe, or this recipe from Nordic Ware.

Vanilla Rabbit Cake

Ingredients:

• 7 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups sifted cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 large egg whites
• Icing:
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• Optional: coconut, food coloring for decorating, candies

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Prepare 3D Bunny Pan with baking spray that contains flour.
• Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter until fluffy.
• Add milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine sifted flour and baking powder.
• Add flour mixture in three parts to the butter mixture until incorporated. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.
• Pour prepared batter in bottom half of bunny mold (approximately 3 cups).
• Place top of mold over bottom half, interlocking seams. (Top half has vent holes to allow steam to escape.)
• Place mold on cookie sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until cake tests done. (Test with toothpick through vent hole.)
• Mix icing ingredients together until desired consistency is reached.
• Remove mold from oven and cool 5 minutes. Invert mold onto cooling rack before standing in upright position.
• Trim bottom of cake if surface is not flat. Place a dab of icing on plate and stand mold in upright position.
• Brush on icing and decorate as desired with coconut, colored icing, or candies.

Nordic Ware Baby Bunny Pan

Baking up adorable bunny-shaped cakes is so simple with the Nordic Ware Baby Bunny Pan. This high quality, heavy cast aluminum pan transfers heat evenly and has a nonstick interior, so your cakes slide out easily. The pan has a contoured surface that creates 6 distinct bunny shapes that can be used separately or together for creative presentations. 4-1/2 cup capacity.

Honey Bunny Mini Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 vanilla bean, seeded
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare bunny pan with butter and flour or baking spray and set aside.
• In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
• In another bowl, combine milk, honey, lemon juice and vanilla bean seed and set aside.
• In a stand mixer with paddle attachment cream butter and sugar together.
• Add one egg at a time and blend thoroughly after each.
• Add half of flour mixture, then half of milk mixture.
• Blend completely before adding the other half of flour and milk.
• Scrape sides of bowl and beat until fully incorporated.
• Pour evenly in prepared bunny pan.
• Tap gently on counter to remove bubbles.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of the middle bunny comes out clean.
• Let cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.

Nordic Ware Gold Classic Fluted Loaf Pan

The loaf pan features a dazzling starburst pattern, and bakes turn out easily — ready to sprinkle with powdered sugar for a simple yet impeccable presentation. The Nordic Ware Gold Classic Fluted Loaf Pan has a 6 cup capacity and is coated inside and out with a premium nonstick surface. Makes a great all-occasion cake.

Hazelnut & Espresso Fluted Loaf Cake
Try this loaf cake that is as elegant as it is delicious. Recipe courtesy of Nordic Ware.

Ingredients:

• Hazelnut Cake:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup hazelnut liqueur (Frangelico)
• Espresso Hazelnut Soaking Glaze:
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 2 tsp hazelnut liqueur (Frangelico)
• 1 Tbsp water

Directions:

For Cake:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare Classic Fluted loaf pan with baking spray containing flour.
• Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter until fluffy. Blend in sugar completely.
• Add eggs one at a time until creamy. In a small bowl, blend dry ingredients with a whisk.
• Add dry ingredients alternately with hazelnut liqueur, mixing until smooth.
• Pour batter into pan, filling 3/4 full. Tap pan on towel covered counter to remove air bubbles.
• Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool loaf in pan for 7 minutes before inverting on a cooling rack.

For Soaking Glaze:

• Prepare glaze while cake cools in pan as cake must be very warm when glazed.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
• Add granulated sugar and stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
• Continue to whisk and cook until sugar melts, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in espresso powder and hazelnut liqueur.
• While stirring, add water and continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat. After removing cake from pan, place on plastic wrap sheet long enough to cover cake completely.
• Poke top and sides of cake with a small skewer or toothpick. Immediately brush on hot glaze with pastry brush.
• Continue to brush glaze over top and side of cake until glaze is gone. Wrap plastic wrap around warm cake and let set overnight.

Nordic Ware Magnolia Bundt Cake Pan

The rounded magnolia petals are softly stepped to create a bowl-shaped interior that just begs to be adorned with fresh fruits, flowers, and other decoration. This innovative design is made from thick cast aluminum, coated in a commercial-grade nonstick surface inside and out. It bakes and browns evenly, releases easily and comes clean without a fuss. This is a fantastic Mother's Day cake.

Earl Grey Lemon Magnolia Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar of choice
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dairy free yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups oat milk
• 3/4 cup coconut oil or vegetable oil
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 10 Earl Grey teabags

Directions:

• Place oat milk in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
• Turn off the heat then add the teabags and leave to brew, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Remove the teabags and squeeze out all the liquid.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (180° C). Grease Bundt pan using baking spray and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, yogurt, and Earl Grey tea milk.
• Add wet ingredients into dry and mix until smooth.
• Pour batter into a greased pan. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour.
• Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then turn the cake out onto a plate.

Recipe and photography by blogger Mei Yee https://nmmeiyee.com/

Nordic Ware 3-D Lamb Cake Pan,

We just couldn't end our Spring Baking post without including the most adorable little cake, EVER! This clever two-piece metal mold is easy to use and the results, well, are stunning. You can use a standard cake mix, your favorite cake recipe, or this Chocolate Lamb Cake Recipe courtesy of Nordic Ware.

Well, I hope you found the inspiration you need to Bake Someone Happy this Spring.

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