Plum, Apple and Hazelnut Bundt with a Caramel Glaze

Makes One (10-Cup) Bundt

Cake:

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• ½ tsp ground cloves

• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 2 egg yolks and 4 egg whites

• 2 tsp vanilla paste

• ¼ cup buttermilk

• 2 medium apples, cored and cut into a small dice

• 5-6 plums, pitted and cut into a small dice

• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and roughly chopped

Glaze:

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ½ cup heavy cream

1)     Toast the hazelnuts in a non-stick pan, rub off the skins and roughly chop. Pit the plums and cut into a small dice.  Core the apples and cut into a small dice.

2)     Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

3)     Prep the bundt pan by brushing the interior with 2 Tbsp of melted butter and dusting with all-purpose flour.

4)     In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the spices, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

5)     In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, starting on medium speed and raising to high.  Use a spatula and scrape the whipped whites into a second bowl.  Set aside briefly.

6)     Return the bowl to the standing mixer with the paddle, and mix together in this order: the sugar, oil and butter (mixed to a creamed stage), add the dry mix and then the 2 yolks, vanilla paste and buttermilk.  Take the bowl off the mixer and gingerly fold in the whipped whites and then the prepared fruit and nuts.

7)     Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for roughly 40-45 minutes.  Start checking the cake with a wooden skewer at 40 minutes.  Do not overbake or the cake will be dry.

8)     Remove the cake from the oven, let sit for 10 minutes, and then invert the cake onto a wire rack.

9)     While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze by melting the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until melted and smooth.  Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and heavy cream. Spoon over the cake while it is still slightly warm.