Mango Peach Mini Bundt Cakes

... the boozy version.

Photo: bundt cake for brunch - oh, yes please!

Here it is, the first week of the new year, a time to focus on healthy eating, renewed exercise and all of the usual resolutions... eventually. But first I had to bake this sweet dessert treat for us to enjoy with Hilary at one last holiday celebration. Isn't there a rule somewhere that dictates gooey desserts at Christmas?!

An ordinary yellow box mix cake was transformed by a 3-ounce package of mango pudding mix and a cup of Peach Schnapps. The first bite of this tropical delight was definitely boozy, but in a good way. Mango and peach flavors registered but were subtle, the drizzled glaze was sweet but not cloying. After that first taste we decided to forgo freshly whipped cream and enjoy the mini cakes plain; they were just that satisfying. 

There was a small process problem during the baking: too much batter in each cup. "Never apologize, just carry on" ran through my head as I watched the batter overrunning each of the six mini bundt cups in the oven. (Note to self: evidently the recipe for 1 large bundt cake is sufficient for 7 or more mini cakes). Oops! It's a good thing I had a cookie sheet under the bundt pan to catch any overflow and save me from a messy oven cleanup. Each little cake sported a wide muffin-top (which ended up as its base) that was crunchy. I neatly trimmed the overhanging edges and used a skewer to poke holes in those crusty tops to encourage syrup absorption; it worked. 

I had planned to serve three cakes and freeze the remaining three for future desserts. Hil and I split a cake, and that left four irresistible little treats... that never made it to the freezer. Midnight snacks and late morning nibbles polished them off. How does that happen so quickly? 

Christmas cookies are gone, the "good" chocolate is finished and the Boozy Mango Peach Mini Bundt Cakes are just a memory. It might be time to return to healthier eating, fresh fruit desserts for example, but I don't regret one delicious bite of any of them. 

Mango Peach Mini Bundt Cakes

1 box yellow cake mix

3-ounce package instant no-cook Mango pudding 

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup Peach Schnapps

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

Oil or spray with cooking spray each cup in a 6-cup mini bundt pan. There will be enough batter to fill additional muffin tins or mini loaf pans.

Mix all ingredients together, spoon or ladle into prepared pans, filling each cup 3/4 full, and bake in a preheated oven as directed on cake package. Use a cake tester to check "doneness"; no crumbs should adhere to the poker.

Glaze

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water 

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Peach Schnapps

Bring butter, water and sugar to boil; stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat to add Schnapps (it's a safety issue). 

Pour the glaze over cakes while still warm from the oven. Slowly spoon about half of the glaze over the cakes while still resting in pan. Then invert the cakes onto a large, flat plate or cookie sheet and slowly add the rest of the glaze. 

Cool the cakes and serve at room temperature. Or wrap and freeze to hold for future use.

    

Laughing Planet Cafe for Lunch

Bend, Oregon

0500 alarm clock alert, 0600 banana/peach smoothie breakfast, 0630 departure and a whole lot of driving between Seattle, WA and Bend, OR before we finally thought about stopped for lunch. No problem, dining at Bend's Laughing Planet Cafe on NE 3rd Street was well worth the distance and our 7-hour stretch between meals. The restaurant came well recommended so we didn't have to waste any time deciding where to eat. As usual, my challenge would be deciding what to eat. 

The cafe's paper, take-home menu opens with the following:

"The Laughing Planet approach to food is simple and straightforward, and looks like this: get the food from the farm to your plate as quickly as possible and in the least complicated way. We believe in directly supporting a local economy, including the farmers from whom we source our high quality produce."  

Fresh - local - uncomplicated - what's not to like so far? I noticed the nearby diners kept smiling as they ate, concentrating on their colorful bowls and plates and keeping conversations to a minimum. My flavor expectations rose a notch or two higher.

Highlighted boxes on the same menu announced:

"Your pleasure is our motto! At Laughing Planet Cafe, if you don't like what you ordered, we'll remake it for you. If after the make-over you're still not satisfied, it's on us! That's the Laughing Planet iron-clad guarantee."

"Iron-clad guarantee: please do not pay for anything you don't like! Seriously!"

Make overs - on the house guarantee - okay, now I expected some seriously good eats. I was not disappointed. Three of us ordered different items,  sampled each dish, and each declared our individual menu choice a winner. We all won, lunch was delicious!

RL ordered the Korean BBQ bowl, a riotously colorful dish where the beef marinade and spicy sauce rock the taste buds... in a good way. I really want need the secret recipe for the beef marinade and BBQ sauce! Are you listening Laughing Planet?

Photo: Korean BBQ Bowl
Your choice of local braised 100% grass-fed beef or baked organic Surata tofu, broccoli, brown rice, cilantro-lime slaw, quick-pickled cucumbers, toasted sesame seeds, and spicy Korean BBQ sauce.

I chose the Thai Bowl, a beautiful mound of crisp-yet-tender neon-bright vegetables, savory baked tofu plus some added extra chicken, and an amazing peanut sauce - all of that over brown rice. It tasted as good as it looked and yes, I ate every bit of this piled-high delight.

Photo: Thai Bowl with tofu and chicken
Thai Bowl: Baked organic Surata tofu, garlic green beans, steamed broccoli on brown rice, topped with a cilantro lime slaw and served with Thai Lemongrass Peanut sauce.

Local resident Donna recommended Laughing Planet and was familiar with the menu. Already a fan of the various bowls and quesadillas, this time she headed to the burrito side of the menu. The vegetarian and omnivore sections offer interesting combinations of ingredients and seasonings, but Donna zeroed in immediately on the mole-sauced chicken and bean combo in the Holy Mole. Flavorful and filling, this burrito could be a whole-meal-in-a-wrapper favorite. 

Photo: Holy Mole burrito
Smart pinto beans, grilled Draper Valley natural chicken, Tillamook jack cheese, brown rice, pico de gallo and homemade Mole sauce.

Laughing Planet's staff was enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable; I especially appreciated the helpful food and beverage ordering suggestions. The recommended local micro brew (dark porter) and a hard cider paired well with our menu choices. The room was light and bright, the seating comfortable, the service fast and the decor.. interesting. Several small dinosaurs lurked here and there. There must be an interesting story behind the colorful assortment of reptiles.

On a return trip to Bend the menu's soups, salads, smoothies, homemade cookies and a handful of breakfasty items might tempt me, but today's choices couldn't have suited us any better. Laughing Planet has 9 cafes in Portland, 2 in Eugene, 1 in Corvallis, 1 in Bend and 1 in Reno. Reno? So when is LPC coming to Seattle?! I'm waiting.