To Bundt or not to Bundt

Bundt cakes are easy to bake, popular at social gatherings, and taste pretty good so why are they the butt of so many jokes? In the movie " My Big Fat Greek Wedding" there is genuine concern regarding the cake with the hole and eventually flowers are placed in the hole since it seems to serve no other purpose. A Bundt cake gets it's name from the tubular pan in which it is baked. A hole in the centre allows hot air to circulate and cook the cake evenly, so it works really well for a large cake. These pans come in many different sizes and designs. Some have intricate patterns and carvings and are specifically designed with holiday themes. The only problem with these pans is that they can be notoriously difficult to get the cake out of. I spray mine liberally with cooking spray or brush with melted butter and then flour them. They still don't always pop out like they should.
There is a common misconception that only certain cakes can be baked in a Bundt pan. I use mine whenever I'm baking a larger cake and more often than not when I use dried fruit or nuts in the batter, as they tend to be denser. Once they are safely out of the pan and on a cake platter, they can be iced or frosted as desired. I personally prefer a dribble of vanilla glaze which trickles down into the crevices and creates a casual but elegant effect.
My recipe for Cranberry Pound Cake:
1 1/2 All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup softened butter
2 tbsp orange zest
1 cup sugar
3 eggs separated
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 oz sour cream
8 oz dried Cranberries
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the Bundt pan . Cream together the butter, sugar and orange zest till fluffy.
3. Add in the egg yolks one at a time and mix well between each. Mix in the vanilla essence.
4. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt. Add in the flour mixture and sour cream alternately with a rubber spatula until just mixed.
5. In a separate bowl, whip up the egg whites till they are stiff. Fold these into the batter gently . Add in the cranberries and pour into the pan.
6. Bake for 55-65 minutes. Do the skewer test just to be sure. Cool completely. Remove from the pan and glaze or ice as desired.