Bundt Cake
 

I'm making a Bundt cake for Christmas, and the Americans seem to have the best moulds, the best recipes and the most exciting combinations.

So this is a prior warning that I will need plenty of help over the next few weeks.

Starting with - what are semi-sweet chocolate chips?
I can see them online, and I'm pretty sure I can find an American supplier in the UK, but it seems silly if I can pick up an English equivilant. Is it the difference between dark and light chocolate (ie milk and plain)? Or do they really have less sugar. I wouldn't want to upset a balance. This is for a Kahlua cake, which is only one I'm considering.

Also - what is instant pudding?
Does it come under any other name?
I think it might be the same as Angel Delight, but again I don't know how the quantities needed would differ.

Amd finally - has anyone used a silicone mould for Bundt cakes? They are SO much cheaper. But I thought one of the major selling points of Nordice Ware was that the moulds are heavy and designed to transfer the heat to get a perfectly cooked cake. Argh.

Oh and if we have a Christmas Fayre I'm tempted to make Bruce's Castle Cake (the chocolate one). I reckon we can raise some money in a Guess the Weight of the Cake competition. If not, I'll hold it in reserve until the Spiring Fayre, as it's not Christmas related.

You don't have to cook instant pudding. It's a powder that you mix with milk and refridgerate - 20 minutes later, it's pudding.

According to wiki "Semisweet chocolate is frequently used for cooking purposes. It is a dark chocolate with a low (typically half) sugar content."

I think it's firmer than regular chocolate as well.

You don't have these in England?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mV3XDTa4tr...Chips_Full.jpg

Nope, not by that name.
I figure it might be dark/ plain chocolate.

Also thanks for the info Spexx - I think I'm going to order some Instant Pudding from an American store - too much uncertainty otherwise.

"semi-sweet" are regular (dark) chocolate chips in the UK. Don't buy anything special. American chocolate is generally sweeter than British chocolate, so not as good for baking, but chips are generally sold for baking purposes anyway, so Sainsbury's will do the trick.

yup, Angel Delight. But if you're using it as a powder in the mix, it might be safer to go American, i'm not sure how exactly they compare, apart from both..... :vomit:

(but i'd just risk it and use Angel Delight, tightwad rebel that I am)

Don't say that! I'll waste more in the testing phase if I decide to wing it!
And it's a bloody big cake to be wasting....

Then again, don't bake what you can't afford. I may be tempted to experiment because online reviews suggest the Bacardi cake (another I am considering) is the best cake they have ever made and are begged to make again and again for special occasions/ potluck suppers/ charity events. It would be far better to use an ingredient from the local supermarket than pay shipping charges.

Have you tried using the letter 'k' instead of the letter 'c'?

Don't be silly foot, no one wants to eat kake.

Oh yes. I made a golden rum cake that was so damn good. The purpose of the instant pudding is just to add a lot of moistness.

These days, any mention of Bundt cakes reminds me of the scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Semi-sweet chocolate is usually 75 - 80% coco. It's almost bitter, but not quite. Don't go over 80% though or it will be.

If you can afford it, silicon moulds are good for those types of cakes (and jelly and icecream things too)

Thanks, Ali - silicone is much cheaper than the metal moulds over here. I just wanted to check it was as good for producing the details/ distributing the heat.

Classic - no such mix exists here. I might sweet-talk Monster into getting her MIL to bring some back with her. I'd rather not rely on an imported mix if it turns out well though.

Pico - I figured it was important in a cake that size, as the majority of recipes I've looked up include it. It's a completely new one on me - most people here do bake cakes from scratch and I'd never even thought of using a dessert mix as an ingredient!

I'm leaning towards the Bacardi cake right now, as I can buy much smaller amount sof rum than I can Kahlua. Turns out the school does not have a Christmas sale or Fayre - their main fundraiser of the year is in May. So the chocolate castle is on the backburner for now.

Bundt is on!

I was mostly kidding SG - Sometimes its just so much easier to buy & make a box cake...