Pick a Bundt cake recipe from these seven

Serves 12.

Note: Perhaps the most famous Bundt pan cake recipe of all time was first published in the Feb. 14, 1988, issue of Taste. In her "Ask Mary" column, Mary Hart wrote that "Nuts are essential to the success of the recipe. Because the cake has a soft tunnel of fudge, ordinary doneness tests cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking time are critical." The recipe is from Marlene Johnson of the Pillsbury Co., and it's a remake of a Pillsbury Bake-Off sensation. "The popular tunnel cake won a $5,000 [that's about $39,000 in 2019 dollars] second prize at the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off," wrote Hart. "Originally the recipe called for only five ingredients, plus a box of chocolate frosting mix. Over the years, consumers became more attracted to ready-to-spread canned frostings than they did to the boxed frostings. Pillsbury stopped making the boxed frostings, so the company's kitchens were asked to develop a cake from scratch."

For cake:

• 1 3/4 c. butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pan

• 1 3/4 c. granulated sugar

• 6 eggs

• 2 c. powdered sugar

• 3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 c. chopped walnuts

For glaze:

• 3/4 c. powdered sugar

• 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add powdered sugar; blend well.

Stir in flour, cocoa powder and walnuts until well blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan and, using a spatula, spread evenly. Bake for 58 to 62 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer pan to a wire rack for 1 hour. Invert cake onto serving plate and cool completely.

To prepare glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder and milk, and whisk until well blended. Spoon over top of cooled cake, allowing some to run down the sides.

Note: This was the first Bundt cake recipe to appear in Taste. Published in the Nov. 24, 1969, issue of the food section, it was part of a story on coffee cakes. Have all ingredients at room temperature for two to three hours before starting to bake.

• 1 c. butter, plus extra for pan

• 1 c. granulated sugar

• 1 c. powdered sugar

• 4 egg yolks

• 1 tsp. almond extract

• Juice and freshly grated rind of 1 lemon

• 3 c. cake flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• 4 egg whites, stiffly beaten

• Whole almonds in skins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan (do not flour).

In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt 3 times. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour to batter in thirds, alternating with milk and starting and ending with flour. Using a spatula, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Place a dab of butter — about 1/2 teaspoon — into the bottom of each crease in the pan, then embed a whole almond in each dab of butter. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 60 to 75 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely.

Serves 12.

Note: Published in the April 8, 1981, issue of Taste, part of a story on foods served at a Finnish festival.

• Butter for pan

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 c. heavy whipping cream, chilled

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Fresh berries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan (do not flour).

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, and reserve.

In the chilled bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream until stiff.

Remove pan from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely. When ready to serve, sprinkle cake with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries.

Serves 12.

Note: Published in the March 24, 1971, issue of Taste, part of a section devoted to Minnesota immigrant cooking.

• 4 c. flour, plus extra for pan

• 4 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 c. shortening

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pan

• 1 c. sugar

• 5 eggs

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 c. seedless raisins

• 1/2 c. currants

• 1 c. chopped walnuts or chopped almonds

• 1 c. candied citron or candied mixed fruit

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, and reserve.

In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat shortening and butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low.

Add flour to batter in thirds, alternating with milk and starting and ending with flour. Stir in raisins, currants, walnuts (or almonds) and candied citron (or candied mixed fruit). Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely.

Serves 12.

Note: Published in the May 11, 1977, issue of Taste. Bibbi Grodahl of Wayzata shared the recipe in the Taste Exchange column. The icing recipe was shared by Mrs. G.A. Stillwell of Rosemount.

• 2 1/2 c. cake flour, plus extra for pan

• 1 tbsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pan

• 1 1/4 c. sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 3/4 c. milk

• 1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

For icing:

• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

• Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tsp. cream, plus more if needed

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, and reserve.

In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

In another bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg yolks until light and lemon-colored, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract to butter-sugar mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour to batter in thirds, alternating with milk and starting and ending with flour. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and mix an additional 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely before icing.

To prepare icing: In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low. Add powdered sugar and mix until creamy, about 1 minute. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until thoroughly combined. Add cream, plus more if needed, to reach spreading consistency. Spread on cooled cake.

Note: Published in the March 14, 1973, issue of Taste. Mrs. James S. Stein of Hopkins shared the recipe in the section's Readers Exchange column.

• 4 c. flour, plus extra for pan

• 2 tsp. baking soda

• 2 tsp. ground cardamom

• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pan

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/2 c. sour cream

• Powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Add flour to batter in thirds, alternating with sour cream and starting and ending with flour. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

Serves 12.

Note: Rhubarb season will soon be upon us, which is why this recipe — published in the May 19, 1985, issue of Taste — is so appealing.

For cake:

• 2 1/2 c. flour, plus extra for pan

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/2 c. butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pan

• 1 c. granulated sugar

• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 c. buttermilk

• 2 c. finely chopped rhubarb

• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts

For topping:

• 1/2 c. granulated sugar

Directions

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt, and reserve.

In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour to batter in thirds, alternating with buttermilk and starting and ending with flour. Stir in rhubarb and walnuts.