Foodbuzz

Monday, December 19, 2011

Tunnel of Cheesecake Blueberry Bundt

There are so many bundt recipes out there, but as far as the cake mixes they have disappeared from the grocery story aisle.  I did see a site that offers gourmet mixes on line, but as far as Pillsbury or Betty Crocker mixes they do not even have it in their line anymore.

My favorite of the bundt cakes are the filled ones.  This particular blueberry one is filled with almond flavored cream cheese. After baking, I found that it does make for a wonderful breakfast slice or afternoon snack.  Due to it being so lightly sweetened, it almost passes for bread instead of a cake.  I chose not to include the icing, which I am sure sweetens up things.  I had some marscapone cheese left from my last round of cupcakes, so I used it instead of regular cream cheese.  Also, the tunnel has almond extract in it which I thought paired well with the blueberry.

Tunnel of Cheesecake Blueberry Bundt
adapted from Land O Lakes Butter

Ingredients/Cake
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds, finely chopped

Ingredients/filling
1/2 tsp almond extract
6 oz cream cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbs flour

Ingredients/Glaze
2 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tsp milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 12 cup bundt pan and coat the inside of the pan with the chopped nuts.

Then you will need to make the filling.  Beat the sugar with the cream cheese until smooth.  Then add the egg and beat for about 1 minute.  Lastly, add the flour and the almond extract and blend until all is evenly distributed.  Set aside.

To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla extract and sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in 1/3 of the sifted ingredients and then 1/2 of the sour cream.  Repeat that step and then fold in the last of the flour.  Then stir in the blueberries.  Divide the batter in half and spoon one half into the bundt pan and smooth the top with a knife or spatula.  Then make an indentation in the batter about 2 inches wide and one inch deep.

Take a gallon sized zip lock bag and cut one corner, making a one inch wide hole.  Fill with the cream cheese mixture and pipe evenly into the indentation of the blueberry batter.  Once all the filling is used, spoon the other half of the batter over the top.  Smooth carefully making sure that no cream cheese is exposed.

Place pan in oven and bake about 50-60 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  Cool in pan 20 minutes and then invert on to rack to finish cooling.

To make glaze, place cream cheese in bowl and then sift the confectioners sugar over the top.  Add extract and only 1 tablespoon of milk.  Beat until all is blended and smooth.  Then add additional tablespoons of milk to achieve desired consistency.  Then drizzle glaze over cooled cake.
                              **LAST YEAR: Cinnamon Donut Muffins**