Smaller than a breadbox, bigger than a muffin

We're living in a rented house for an indefinite period of time, and I don't want to accumulate "stuff" which is why I should stay away from the kitchenware section of Goodwill. Should. Should. Should. But I don't. I'm drawn there like my dog is to waste baskets, just "looking" in case there might be something interesting. Recently while I was there, I saw a NordicWare mini bundt pan. "Well I certainly don't need that," I thought. "No. Certainly not." I looked. I touched. I walked away.

Standing in the clothing department, vaguely shifting sweaters on a rack, my mind kept going back to the pan. Next thing I knew, I was standing in the checkout line holding it, feeling justified (it was only $2.99!) though slightly guilty, as other people stopped to comment on my find. Oh it's a cute pan, all right.

As soon as I got the pan home I washed and dried it, and set about proving I would use it. I made my version of this apple-cranberry cake, making a few substitutions that I wanted to try. I replaced 3/4 cup of flour with 1/2 cup of almond meal and 1/4 cup of coconut flour (and added 1/4 cup more liquid). I used 1/2 cup of evaporated cane juice and dried cranberries. For the topping I mixed a small amount of lemon juice and powdered sugar to drizzle over the tops. And yes, the mini bundt cakes were cute and delicious.

And now I've used it again, because there's something irresistible about mini-bundt cakes. I've baked a variation of the apple cake — an orange-flavored cake with chocolate chips. I used an organic orange, because though I use organic fruit most of the time, I always like to use organic fruit if I plan to eat the skin. I used a similar flour mix to the one I used for the apple cake but if I didn't already have almond meal and coconut flour in the pantry, I would just use white whole wheat. I like my cakes to have some body, especially bundt cakes, rather than be all light and airy, so sometimes I add alternative flours. I also appreciate when the dessert offers more than just a pretty face. Almond meal and coconut flour add to the nutritional profile, as well as the taste and texture, but feel free not to use them. The cake will work perfectly with just flour. (Click here for more information about coconut flour.)

Before I post the recipe, I want to mention my microplane zester. Using this tool makes me feel like I could zest all day and never get tired. Zip, zip, zip, and the zest is in a fluffy pile. I love this tool, and if you don't already have a zester, this is one you might consider. (It doesn't make long shreds for garnishes; you'll need an old fashioned zester with a single row of little holes, for that.)

Orange chocolate chip cake

Dry ingredients

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice (raw sugar)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Indian black salt (or plain salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

Liquid ingredients

• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or non-dairy yogurt
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 3/4 cup orange juice (if you're not using coconut flour, use only 1/2 cup of juice) I zested and juiced one orange, and added frozen OJ to get the full amount of juice needed.
• 3/8 cup soymilk
• 2 tablespoons orange zest (from one orange)

Preheat oven to 350˚ F and grease pan. I used a mini-bundt pan but you could also use a 9" x 13" pan or a regular 6-cup bundt pan. If using a bundt pan, grease with a mixture of equal parts margarine, oil and flour.

1. Sift or whisk the dry ingredients except for the chocolate chips, in a large bowl. Stir in the chips.
2. Whisk the liquid ingredients except for the zest, in a medium bowl until smooth and thick. Stir in the zest. (It will look a little curdled)
3. Fold the wet mix into the dry until incorporated. Don't over mix.
4. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake about 35 minutes for a single pan or 20 minutes for a mini-bundt pan. Test with a toothpick.
5. Cool 9x13 pan on a rack and serve from pan. For bundt pans, place a rack over the pan and invert to release the cake. I let mine cool about one minute before inverting.
6. For bundt cakes, make a glaze, if desired by whisking together until smooth, one tablespoon orange juice and enough powdered sugar to form a thick but pourable glaze. (Drizzle about one teaspoon over each mini-cake.) Or, melt chocolate chips over hot water and drizzle a chocolate glaze onto cakes. For topping a 9x13 cake before baking, click here for topping suggestions.