Hawaiian Plantation Ice Tea Bundt Cake - #BundtBakers

Imagine a delicious glass of summer iced plantation tea. Take a long cool sip. Listen to the

ice crackle and clink. Now imagine that tea in cake form.

There is nothing quite as refreshing as a big glass of Hawaiian Plantation Ice Tea on a hot Hawaii day. So many restaurants and hotels here have their own special recipe, but the base is always iced tea and pineapple juice.

When it was announced that the theme this month for Bundt Bakers was Tropical I thought it would be a delicious idea to turn turn the flavors of this iced tea into bundt form. To achieve this I reduced Hawaiian Plantation Ice Tea down to a syrup, and then used it to flavor both the cake and the frosting.

I was really happy with how the bundt turned out. It was flavored inside the cake as I poked holes and poured some of the syrup in these holes, I brushed a little of the syrup on the top of the cake, and there was a little of the syrup in the frosting that was piped on top.  Although there are a few steps, it really didn't take long to put it together.  And if time is short you could always make the tea and the reduction the day before, and then gently warm it so that it is pourable on the day you make the cake.

If you would like to know more about #BundtBakers and see what the other bakers made for our Tropical theme please scroll down below the recipe.

Hawaiian Plantation Ice Tea Bundt Cake
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Ingredients
Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea ~

• 950ml (1 quart) barely boiling hot water
• 4 orange pekoe tea bags
• 950ml (1 quart) ice cold water
• 475ml (1 x 16 ounce) can pineapple juice
• 120ml (½ cup) simple syrup

Cake ~

• 340g (1½ cups) butter softened
• 475g (2½ cups) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pineapple extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs
• 240g (1 cup) crushed pineapple, well drained
• 400g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 700ml (3 cups) Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea, reduced

Frosting ~

• 60g (2 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 180g (1½ cups) powdered sugar
• 15ml (1 tablespoon) Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea reduction

Preparation 

Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea ~

1. Heat 120ml (½ cup) of water with 100g (½ cup sugar) over low-medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved; set aside.
2. Pour the hot water into a large pitcher, and add the tea bags, steep for about 5 minutes.
3. Remove the tea bags, and pour in the ice water and the pineapple juice. 
4. Add the simple sugar to taste.
5. Place 700ml (3 cups) Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea in a saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce  heat and continue to gently boil until it is reduced to a medium-thick syrup.

Cake ~

1. Preheat the oven to 160℃ (325°F). 
2. Spray a bundt pan with baking spray; set aside.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients; set aside.
4. Mix crushed pineapple with 15ml (1 tablespoon) Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea reduction; set aside.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter, sugar, pineapple and vanilla extracts.
6. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. 
7. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl.
8. Lower the speed of the mixer and add the flour mixture alternately with the crushed pineapple mixture.
9. After all has been added beat for 1 minute or just until fully combined.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula, and hitting the pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
11. Bake for 50 minutes, then cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes back clean.
12. Cool for 15 minutes, then poke the cake with a skewer and drizzle some of the Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea reduction into each of the holes.  Allow to cool for another 15 minutes before un-molding onto a rack to cool completely.
13. in the pan on a baking rack before glazing.

Frosting ~

1. In a medium bowl beat softened cream cheese and 15ml (1 tablespoon) Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea reduction until fully combined.
2. Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until combined.
3. Place the frosting in a piping bag and pie on fully cooled cake.

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page. Mahalo to our host this month, Sandra, from Sweet Sensations.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month ~

• Coconut Mango Bundt from Sweet Sensations
• Hawaiian Plantation Ice Tea Bundt Cake from All That's Left Are the Crumbs
• Kumquat - Coconut with Tarragon Bundt Cake from Katin špajz
• Lime Coconut Bundt from Food Lust People Love
• Mango Bellini Bundt Cake from Patyco Candybar
• Mango Upside Down Cake from Sneha's Recipe
• Painkiller Bundt Cake from Patty's Cake
• Pineapple Coconut Bundt from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Piña Colada Bundt Cake from Merce`s Cake