Ditch cheesecake for an irresistible Easter cottage Bundt cake

Easter desserts are delicious. We like to have Bundt cakes, cheesecakes, and other less traditional baked goods on the holiday table. Every year, I prepare them according to a list. More than once, I've gone overboard with the quantity, which is really not hard to do. I'll admit, I've given up cheesecake in favor of the Easter cake and a Bundt cake made with cottage cheese and raisins.

Cheesecake can be baked practically every weekend, but a Bundt cake? That's a typically Easter dessert. So the choice was not difficult. Contrary to appearances, these baked goods have a lot in common. First, I always use the highest quality, full-fat cottage cheese for them. It's what makes the cake fluffy and moist, and it keeps it from drying out quickly. The dough is elastic, which prevents crumbling and maintains the perfect structure even a few days after baking.

I'm not even considering adding chocolate, nuts, or orange zest to such a cake. Raisins perfectly complement the taste of cottage cheese. I know they can divide fans of cheesecakes or yeast cakes. However, I have a weakness for these dried fruits and think they work excellently in the Bundt cake.

It should be remembered to choose raisins that do not contain preservatives, such as sulfur dioxide. They should be labeled "sulfur-free" or organic. Avoid raisins with an unnatural, very intense color, which may result from chemical processes. I soak the dried fruits in warm water or rum so they are soft and juicy. Then I dry them thoroughly to prevent excess moisture in the cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 3/4 cups flour (cake flour is ideal)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• A pinch of salt
• Butter and bread crumbs for greasing the pan

For the glaze:

• 1 egg white
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Mix the cottage cheese with sugar and eggs until smooth.
2. Add the oil, then the baking powder mixed with the flour and vanilla sugar. Mix just until combined.
3. Finally, add the pre-soaked raisins. Mix.
4. Pour the batter into the greased pan.
5. Bake the Bundt cake for 60 minutes at 340 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Prepare the glaze: beat the egg white with powdered sugar and lemon juice in a bowl for about 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
7. Decorate the cooled Bundt cake with the glaze.