This classic pound cake, swirled with holiday spices, makes a great accompaniment to Jamie DeMent’s Baked Fall Apples. And baking it in a decorative Bundt pan transforms the dessert into something special.

If you’ve ever struggled to get a clean release when making a Bundt cake, the folks at King Arthur Flour suggest using a non-stick pan, greasing it thoroughly with melted shortening and coating the inside with almond flour or granulated sugar.

Serves 10 to 12

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 ¼ cups butter, softened

¼ cup canola oil

3 cups sugar

5 large eggs, at room temperature

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup tube or Bundt pan and sprinkle with granulated sugar (see note).

Stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in a small bowl.

Cream butter, oil and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add vanilla extract, beating just until blended.

Pour one-third of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter.

Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool 20 minutes. Drizzle vanilla glaze over slightly warm cake.

Vanilla Glaze: Stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk. If needed, add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, to reach desired consistency.