Dear Reader, I must confess that I think a part of me married Mr NQN so that I could survive the world. Or at least negotiate its many crevices and turns with more assuredness that I would normally have. You see he makes up for a part of me that is really lacking. He has nature skills and coordination for which I am deficient.
One example is when we were storing someone’s painting for them to pick up. I leaned the frame against the wall near the door ready for collection.
“Honey, don’t fall on that painting” I cautioned him.
“Why on earth would I fall against a painting that is leaning against the wall?” he asked me curiously.
“Ummm… because, I’m not sure, but just don’t” I answered, not quite knowing the answer to his question but a part of me still thought that it was a valid warning.
Over the next day he would joke saying “oops!! I fell on that painting leaning on the wall!” to which I would laugh and protest “well you don’t see the Mona Lisa leaning against a wall on the floor, it must happen!”
I suppose I do help him in some ways. When we first met after he first moved to Sydney from the town of Coffs Harbour, his dinner consisted of a 1 kilo tub of yogurt or a box of supermarket donuts. It was probably a response to being denied sweets or junk food for most of his life. His mother Tuulikki reports that he downed sixteen ice creams the first time he tried ice cream at a school camp.
So tasked with making a cake for his birthday I decided to make him a donut cake. It needed to feed everyone that was coming to his dinner. The bonus of this cake was that it was much easier than one would think. The bundt cake is a cinch, only a bit of creaming and then adding the rest of the ingredients is quite straightforward. There is a heavenly aroma of cinnamon as it is baking. The decoration is really in the buttercream and the chocolate icing and sprinkles. And Queen Viv remarked that when tasting it, the texture of the bundt cake was remarkably similar to that of a donut (which was what I was hoping to achieve but unsure whether I had).
And of course I had to tell him that when it was sitting on the table ready to be brought to the restaurant, “honey don’t fall on the cake ok?” 
So tell me Dear Reader, what sort of food did you eat when you first moved out of home? Were you making things from scratch or eating out? And are you the kind of person that trips over things and falls on paintings (like me! 
)?
Cinnamon Donut Cake
Makes two 23cms/9inch diameter bundt cakes for both donut halves
- oil spray for greasing
- 300g/10.6ozs. butter, softened
- 4 cups caster or superfine sugar
- 8 eggs, at room temperature
- 4 cups plain all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/3 cup milk soured with 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup or 1 stick or 125g unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups icing sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
For chocolate icing
- 75 g/3ozs butter
- 1 tablespoon corn or glucose syrup
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1505/ozs dark chocolate
- 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1. Preheat oven to 160C/320F. Generously spray two identical bundt tins with oil spray (or you could halve the mixture and do one cake at a time as I did as I didn’t have two identical bundt cake tins). In a mixer fitted with a beater attachment, place the butter and sugar and beat together for 3 minutes. Then add vanilla and then the eggs one at a time incorporating between each addition. Mix the baking powder, soda and cinnamon with the flour and on the lowest speed, add this and then quickly add the milk. When incorporated, place in the tins, smooth the top and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted inside comes out clean. Allow to cool – I also stick the whole tin in the fridge to help release them from the tin once they’ve cooled off.
2. While the cake is cooling, make the buttercream. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency.
3. Have both cakes ready and completely c0ol. Invert one upside down and spread with buttercream. Place the other cake right side up on top of the upturned cake.
4. Make the chocolate frosting. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, syrup and milk until the butter has melted. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and then add the icing sugar. Working fairly quickly, spoon the icing on top of the cake and then add sprinkles before it sets.
If you enjoyed this post, why not share it with your friends?
What is NQN up to now?
NQN on Facebook
RSS
89 Comments | Add your own
Beautiful! I love the shape of that cake.
Cheers,
Rosa
I moved out when I started uni. I ate lots of spag bol made with sauce from a jar, chicken tonight, beef stir fry and steak and veg (my parents gave me beef!).
How fun! And I bet very delicious too!
Happy birthday, Mr NQN!! You’re very lucky to have such a great wife!
What a great idea for a man cake, and telling someone not to fall on a painting is perfectly normal.
I saw the cake and instantly thought of Homer Simpson and how much he would love it!
When I first lived on my own, I ate a lot if rice with sit sauce, pasta with a slice of Kraft singles on top, melted in the microwave, and chicken nugget sandwiches.
Another cute and choice dessert–looks delicious as well. I hope it was a grand birthday for Mr. NQN.
When I was first out of uni for the first time, I was teaching and had very little extra #$, so it was mainly cook at home and save up to go out! Lots of tuna salad and spaghetti with garlic-Parm oil (cheap Parm from the can, at that!)
Happy belated birthday to Mr NQN! This is a terrific cake, and so cute. When I first moved out of home, my flatmates did the cooking – easy.
Hi Lorraine, when I saw donut and Mr’s birthday in one sentence I smiled because it was Mr Chipconnoisseur’s birthday yesterday and he requested sausage rolls, mini frankfurts and fairy bread for his party lunch. And yes, he was serious!
When I first moved out I cooked for myself from scratch but some nights I wasn’t really fussy: fried eggs with pasta were just fine.
Donut looks yummy! I moved out it was a lot of crock pot meals and left overs.
I had a box waiting for pickup in the back hall for 3 days and after I warned everyone…….I rounded the corner and stepped into the edge of the box and fell right on top of it! Have yet to live it down!!
Happy birthday to Mr NQN!I love your donut cake – such a great idea! I can’t believe he ate 16 ice creams!! I tend to eat out quite a bit which is bad for my waistline and my purse! I’m definitely a clumsy person – I’m usually covered in bruises and I have no idea how they got there!
Lorraine,
Is this Mr NQNs favorite cake? Such creativity and personality makes one smile… I remember lots of pizza slices when I was 19 and lived in NYC. I also ate at work in an Irish Pub restaurant… Lamb stews, mashed potatoes, broccoli w butter, Parmesan and mayo… Can’t remember preparing a meal at that time. Now I love to cook…
Very sweet looking cake!
I dove straight into regular home cooking. If anything, I was really looking forward to eating some more interesting foods for dinner after a childhood of very plain and boring Croatian food (pretty much the same dinners each week on rotation for 24 years!)
I love the donut cake! Happy Birthday to the mister.
I’ve never fallen on a painting before but I’ve certainly dropped a cake, icing side down.
I think that is a perfectly valid warning. My hubby and kids do the eye roll thing to me all the time- but at least I know I’ve done my best to prepare them for the perils of the day ahead
This cake is really cute indeed, I’m not surprised Mr NQN ate all those goodies when he first left home, forbidden fruit is always sweeter
Mmm donut cake!
I can’t really remember what I made but I used to buy a lot of things I now make from scratch like seasonings and marinades.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR NQN! So sweet of you to bake him a donut cake hehe ~
I saw a similar donut recipe in a recipe book I bought last week and have been meaning to make a donut cake but don’t have an occasion hehe but great idea for bdays hehe
I love the way you and Mr NQN interact with each other hehe sooo sweet!
We just moved out this year, Mr Bao and I have been eating out so much it’s quite bad…so we’re trying to cook more at home ~
This looks wonderful Lorraine
Lorraine you always whip up something that looks so yummy! Happy birthday Mr NQN!
What an adorable cake, I love this Lorraine! With all of the vanilla and cinnamon, it’s sure to be delicious
.
This is so clever. Absolutely love it. Happy Birthday to Mr NQN.
Happy Birthday Mr NQN! What a sweet story – you perfectly complement each other! Such a clever cake too
For someone who has danced most of their lives, I am terribly clumsy – often walking into doorframes and walls! Zero coordination for ball sports too :p
Happy birthday Mr NQN
such a good wife you are Lorraine.
Oh, that doughnut looks soo good! happy birthday to Mr. NQN! Do we have birthdays in the same week?
Cool!
I was in a potato phase of my life! 
hehe, when I moved out of parents’ home, I was eating potatoes seven days a week!
1 1/3 whats of milk? Cups? Litres?
Looks a great recipe, and I will make it, although I can’t put chocolate anywhere near it. Would love to, but need to feed others in the family, and one can’t have choc. So sad.
A very, very happy birthday to your husband and I hope he has a successful and fulfilling year ahead! Am sure he loved the cake
! Altho’ I married a countryman of mine, he was already a very definitely minded foodie, and, not being able to cook, I ended up at countless cooking courses: mostly Chinese, Thai and Japanese, totally leaving my Euro food heritage behind. Twas great actually, as we were on business accounts and ate ‘out’ at least 3-4 times a week, oft overseas: the beginning of my lifelong love affair with food 
!
I always fail with bundt cakes. turning them out they always break and stick. Any tips?
Wow, that donut cake looks really cute. I would be very very happy if someone give me this cake for my b’day
Happy b’day for Mr. NQM.
Sorry typo, I mean Mr. NQN
Happy birthday to Mr. NQN, and I love your stories about leaning on the painting… that cracks me up. This is seriously something that my dad would love for HIS birthday.
Aww happy birthday to Mr. NQN! Love the novelty of this cake. Who wouldn’t want this for their birthday? I want donuttttttttttttt! hehehehe
Happy Birthday Mr NQN, TRUE!
What a whimsical donut cake as only NQN can do!
Love stories behind why people re foods make or do!
Today, will share birthday greetings of WHOO HOO!
I am glad that you love your husband through your cooking… and you share that love with the your readers. You are an inspiration! Thank you for devoting your time to us.
That is a beautiful cake. I love the shape of it caused by the Bundt tin. And the cinnamon fragrance in the home must have been amazing. I think I did eat a lot of sweet things when I left home because we weren’t allowed them growing up either! xx
I think this is the cake I needed on the weekend – E wanted donuts and I wanted to bake cake (fortunately he liked the cake I made!) Hope Mr NQN had a good birthday – the cake looks like fun
Happy belated Birthday to your Hubby!!
Such a delicious cake… he is a lucky man…
That cake is awesome! I actually have a donut cake tin which consists of the two halves and it makes such a huge cake! But the donut effect is so cool!
Happy Birthday Mr NQN! I like to hear you speak of him so sweetly…
What a clever novel way to use the traditional ‘Guglhupf’ – danke schoen
Mr NQN is a very lucky man to have such a lovely wife like you! This is really really cute. I have just been given my first bundt pan and it is destined to be christened with this!!
That shape is gorgeous my friend what a perfect birthday cake
Looks delicious!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Happy Birthday Mr NQN.
Clumsy – Yes. Extra precautionary – yes.
Stir-fried veg. The first kitchen item I bought was a Wok – cheap and easy to use.
I still own that Wok today.
OMG do all Finns deprive their children of sweets? Panu and his sister were also deprived and now they are SUGAR FIENDS. Goes to show you shouldn’t deprive your children hehehe. That donut cake ROCKS!
Gorgeous cake!! I like the consistency of your buttercream frosting–i dont know why mine always goes so runny. How do i make it stiff & fluffy like yours? any ideas? is it because there is too much liquid content? would adding more butter or icing sugar be a solution?
Hi Yojo! I think that if you add more icing sugar and only a little amount of milk, it should be stiff
I hope this helps! 
What a cute cake! Happy birthday Mr NQN! I love hearing a small story about you and Mr. NQN.
You two are a cute couple! I live off with bagels and mocha when I first moved to the US. I was literally addicted.
The textures and shape of that cake is simply beautiful! I’d would totally eat a lot of this if it tasted like donuts.
The first place I stayed at when I moved out was at my boyfriend’s house (his parents are always overseas). So we tended to eat in a fair bit but also eating out a lot…half half maybe. 
What a fantastic looking cake -I bet mr NQN loved it!
I had a lot of alcohol when I first moved out with uni friends actually.. I guess that was the only thing I couldn’t have a lot of at my parents’ house..
Hi Lorraine… lovely cake and accompanying story. Happy birthday to your man! Love that bundt tin too!
YUMMY!! I haven’t moved out of home yet but i am excited for the challenge of living and cooking for myself when i am old enough to go to uni!
OMG this looks incredible! Mr NQN is a very lucky man
It sounds like you two do complement each other nicely! What a gorgeous confection, Lorraine
And happy birthday Mr NQN, I hope you appreciate your lovely cake-making spouse as much as she appreciates your non-falling-into-paintings skills!
When I first moved out of home I used to eat lots of 2 minute noodles, hence my nickname at the time, “Noodles”
cute cake idea for a birthday. I have to confess I was cooking for my parents and siblings way before I move out of home, then when I went flatting with a bunch of Aussie in London they were chuffed to have a chef cook for them most nights and bring restaurant leftovers home! A dream for those saving to tour EU
now that is a cake!! looks fantastic! Happy bday mr nqn!
very cute
That is a very nice cake! When I first moved out of my house, first thing I tried to get my hands on was wine. LOL!
Um, yeah. I totally did that, with the eating lots of sweet junk and pre-prepared food as it was a complete novelty after growing up in a from-scratch-dinner-together-at-the-table-every-night family!
This cake is amazing! I think we all wish our face would fall on it.
What a brilliant cake. I remember one of my friend’s mums gave her a toasted sandwich cookbook when she moved out of home – hilarious.
Happy birthday Mr NQN. And what a cake! You wouldn’t want me anywhere near it, because I would probably fall on it!
mmmm, doh’nuts! Many happy returns to Mr NQN!
Man….what a great cake! Happy Birthday Mr.NQN , hope you had a great day and no doubt the cake is long gone.
I love doughnuts so this recipe is a must-do.
Have always been a cook since I can remember so when I married and left my family home, it was a smooth transition and I’ve been cooking ever since! Lol.
What a divine idea – I’m in love with the ‘gooey’ chocolate frosting on top. My husband would flip over this… no doubt Mr.NQN did as well! Just adorable and such a nice indulgence for your man’s birthday.
Looks great , very nice idea for a poor deprived man. ( well not now but before)
WOW…what an absolute treat of a birthday cake! It looks just like a donut on steroids! Gorgeous! Happy birthday Mr. NQN!
That said…he looked a little like MD..but lighter hair and blue eyes..but everyone keeps telling me he looked like the Eddie and the Cruisers guy with a bit of Johnny Rzeznick lol I need to get to my parents house and go through boxes to find a photo!
Wow, that cake looks fantastic Lorraine, hope Mr NQN had a happy birthday! I remember eating a LOT of sliced tomato, (tinned) salmon & melted cheese on toast for dinners while living alone. All that changed when I moved in with then-future hubby who loves to cook (as I do, too when it’s not just for me!). I find as I get older I am becoming much more clumsy, even when cooking – so annoying!
Moving out of home – far too much alcohol, toasted sandwiches, pasta and late night burgers. Then moved up the sophistication stakes to dinner parties from the Womens Weekly Dinner Party cookbooks – so very 80s! Love that cake Lorraine – well done!
Such a pretty cake!Who says that a birthday cake needs to be round or square for that matter. Love that bundt tin! I should get one like yours!
Wow! That’s a stunning cake effort…Genius.
What a beautiful cake, Lorraine, happy birthday to Mr. NQN. Sadly, I went from living with my Mom (my Dad had passed away years ago) to being married. I cooked a lot of the same things married as I did at my Mom’s place. Except that we went out for dinner much more often!
Oh my gosh, that cake looks like a sweet lover’s dream! Which I take it Mr. NQN most certainly is. Lovely!
I did a donut cake for one of our “Twin Peaks” nights. It was a hit! I’ll have to try this one next time.
I totally would have fallen on the painting….
When I moved out, I was newly married and I made everything from scratch and cooked all the time. It was so much fun!
And a lonnnngggg time ago…
I have a birthday coming up and I want this cake!! Happy Happy to Mr. NQN. Hope you guys had a fabulous time.
Birthday blessings! What a lovely sentiment about your relationship
What a fun birthday cake. Happy birthday Mr. NQN! xoxo Mum
What a cake…!!! When you told me you are preparing a cake for your husband I never imagine this one. Wonderful…!!!
Eggs! Lots of Eggs!!
Hi Reem, just a lot, and I mean a lot of baking spray. Also take care of bundt tins so that the non stick doesn’t wear off. Don’t scrub them. You can also add a thin shake of flour but this can create a bit of a white layer around the cake so I just stick to loads and loads of oil spray.
HI everyone!! Thank you SO much for your sweet birthday greetings for Mr NQN. You’re giving him big monkey grins all round!!
What a fun birthday cake. Happy belated birthday to Mr NQN! I love that oozy chocolate frosting on top. My fiance would adore this.
What a fun festive cake. My daughters birthday is on Wednesday and I’m still trying to decide what cake to bake her. This would be darling. I will have to show this to her to see want she thinks. Thanks for sharing.
—Delish & Beeeeautiful.
Mr. MQN is such a lucky guy to get a homemade donut cake. I swear, I just gained a few pound just staring at this lush sin….and I can smell it. Seriously. And it smells
D E L E C T A B L E.
Xx Happy Birthday to Mr. MQN!!
I made one for my mothers birthday and have the post about it in drafts.
Great minds think alike and all that shizzle.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mr NQN,
To you Lorainne,thanks for BAKING this simple-delicious cake for ur LOVE!!
I love the cake and love the shape! Now I want to bake a Bundt cake… and yes, I fall over things like that. The bigger and more obvious, the more likely I’ll fall on them. When I moved out I cooked simple things, rarely baked. Couldn’t afford to eat out but bought my fair share of ready made food and donuts
Happy Belated Birthday to MR. NQN! Jippie!
What a beautiful, georgous & special Bundt cake! So pretty looking too!
A job well excuted!
xxx
i like bundt cakes. CINNAMON bundt cakes shaped like donuts, well, that’s an obvious improvement.
gorgeous
That’s a gorgeous shape on the cake. I trip over everything, so those jokes would have had much more meaning for me
Oh he is one lucky man!
That looks like a really fun cake to make
Post a Comment