Night Baking

http://nightbaking.blogspot.com/2010/11/snickerdoodle-bundt-for-national-bundt.html

Snickerdoodle Bundt

Cinnamon Sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup sugar

Cake

2 1/2 cups (10 5/8 ounces) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

1 cup (7 ounces) sugar

1 cup (7 ounces) brown sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup sour cream (the original recipe called for full-fat, but lowfat is also fine)

Stir together the cinnamon and sugar and set aside. You'll use this for dusting the pan, for the center swirl, and for sprinkling over the batter before baking.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.

Beat the butter on medium speed for one minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat for three minutes. It will be very light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl, add the brown sugar, and beat for two more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour alternately with the sour cream. Scrape down the bowl once more, and give it a final few seconds to fully combine.

Now, prep the 9-cup (or larger) bundt pan. You can grease the pan with butter or shortening, but my favorite trick is cooking spray with flour. Spray the pan thoroughly, including the center tube, so the cinnamon-sugar will stick and the cake won't. Gently dust the inside of the pan with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, using about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. I sprinkled a few tablespoons around the bottom, then gently turned the pan, shaking the sugar around to coat it. I added more as needed, and I had to use the spoon to sprinkle the sugar mixture over the center tube. Shake out any extra into the bowl and reserve.

Spread half the batter into the prepared pan. I dolloped it in in a few scoops and then gently evened it out with a rubber spatula. I didn't want the batter to rub the cinnamon-sugar off the sides of the pan. Sprinkle 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the remaining cinnamon-sugar evenly onto the batter. Top with the remaining batter and smooth it out. Finish by sprinkling on any remaining cinnamon-sugar. If you've run out, mix up 1/4 sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Mine took just 55 minutes, but then, my oven was set 25 degrees higher! Cool for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake and invert a rimmed cookie sheet on top of it. You're going to invert the pan to take the cake out, but if you don't use the cookie sheet, you'll end up with cinnamon-sugar all over the floor and counter. You could try doing it over the sink, but I wouldn't want the cake to end up in the sink. The cookie sheet is a little unwieldy, but it ultimately caught all the loose sugar. Cool completely.