Michelle Darmody: Can we bake delicious muffins? Yes, pecan

Pecan and maple syrup bundt cake is an eat-on-the-day-you-bake-it treat

This cake looks beautiful and tastes even better. 

Pecan nuts pair very well with many rich flavours such as maple syrup — and they complement warm spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. They are particularly popular in the United States and Canada as they are native to the Mississippi River region. 

The nuts look a little like walnuts but have a much sweeter, more buttery flavour. There is something very autumnal about the smell of pecans toasting. They can be tossed through salads or eaten as they are.

Like all nuts, pecans are a healthy addition to your diet. I always add a generous handful of pecans when I make granola: they are a delicious addition to toasted oats and dried fruit.

The popular pecan pie is one very traditional use for the nuts but I have included a recipe for buns and a Bundt cake rather than a pie here.

Pecan buns

These buns are great for breakfast or for lunchboxes

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 180g golden caster sugar

• 120ml light olive oil

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla

• a generous pinch of salt

• 250g plain flour

• 1 tsp bread soda, sieved

• 30g pecan nuts, chopped

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a bun tin with 12 paper cases.

2. Beat the oil, sugar, and egg then add the banana until combined. Add in the nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, flour, and bread soda. Mix well until combined.

3. Stir in the pecan nuts.

4. Scoop your mixture between the paper cases and bake for about 30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Pecan and maple syrup bundt cake

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Bundt cakes look great but it is best to bake them the day of serving or the day before at the most. There is more of the cake exposed to the air so they tend to harden quicker than a more traditional round or square cake might

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 55 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 175g soft butter

• 90g muscovado sugar

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 3 tbsp maple syrup

• 200g self-raising flour

• 2 ripe bananas

• 100g medjool dates, stoned and chopped

• 50g pecan nuts

• To decorate:

• 100g icing sugar

• 2 tbsp orange juice

• A handful of pecan nuts, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C and grease and flour a 7-inch Bundt tin.

2. Beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is lightening in colour. Add the eggs, vanilla and maple syrup until combined. Mix in the flour until that too is combined.

3. Add the banana, dates and nuts and stir them into the batter.

4. Scoop the batter into the prepared tin and bake for about 45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Once cool enough to handle, turn the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

5. To make the icing, whip the orange juice and icing sugar together until smooth, adding a little more juice if needed. The icing should be pourable but not very runny. Pour over the cooled cake and sprinkle the pecan nuts on when it is still wet.