Bundt Cakes Are The Easiest Way To Impress With Minimal Effort

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Fancy cakes are a great way to impress your friends, but you don't have to go to pastry school to pull off a stellar design. Sure, you can toil over a trending cake design like a mirror cake or a candle cake, but sometimes less is more. All you really need for a killer cake is a bundt cake pan and a simple glaze or sauce. Sounds way easier than dealing with a temperamental buttercream or learning how to work with fondant, right?

You can bake any type of cake in a bundt pan, so the sky is the limit when it comes to your flavors. And for the proverbial icing on the cake, simply whip up an easy-to-make icing or glaze in the flavor of your choice and drizzle it over the top, working slowly so it drips naturally down the side, creating a dazzling visual effect that not only catches the eye with its natural flow but also contrasts starkly with color of the cake itself. And then there is the mouthfeel — a good glaze will give you a mixture of flavors and textures with each bite. You can opt for an icing that will harden once it settles or a glaze (usually a mix of milk or juice and confectioner's sugar) that will stay moist after it's been poured. Whichever option you choose will give your bundt cake a dimension that you won't be able to achieve with frosting. 

Whipping up a bundt cake and drizzling a simple sauce so it drips naturally down the sides is a great way to make a big impression on a weeknight or whenever you might be short on time. But if you're really in a crunch, you can still pull it off with one simple ingredient: powdered sugar (an ingredient so simple you can make it at home. Simply use a flour duster (you can find one easily online) to sprinkle it over your cake once it's cool and the resulting effect will be like a fresh dusting of snow on a cold winter's day. In some cases, like with a boozy whiskey bundt cake, you can do a bit of both and soak your cake with a salted whiskey glaze, then top it with an eye-catching powdered sugar finish.

You don't even have to decorate the cake itself to make the most of a bundt cake design. The shape of the cake itself gives you room to work with, thanks to the empty center of the cake. For a creative twist on your design efforts, simply fill this space with fresh fruit that your guests can then pair with their cake as it's being served. Strawberries are a great pairing for a devil's food cake, while a lemon poppy seed will go great with fresh blueberries. By making the most of the cake design, you not only have a chance to add a brilliant pop of color, but you can also add flavor and flare to your bundt cake.