I will relate my experience with my DW bought in 1996 and this current one purchased in 2006. For the previous one Electrasol tabs with jet dry cleaned just fine, but they created a lot of suds. If I opened the door there was at least 1/2 inch of suds on top of the water. I stopped using them and switched to Electrasol powder with chlorine bleach. The manual for my previous DW said not to use Gels or liquids so I never tried those in that machine. I don't care for the scent of Cascade powders so I've tried them but usually won't buy them due to the scents. Anyway the new machines allow you to use tabs or liquids because there are settings for different types of detergents. The machine will adapt its behavior to the settings. If you use a tablet with rinseAid built in it will not dispense rinse aid and it will also adjust the cycle for hard tablets. I have say that on the box of tabs containing Jet Dry it says that you may still need to use a separate rinse aid if your water is hard. I used the the tabs with jet dry which were purchased in 2007 and there were no suds, and use the new red ball tab also without suds. That said I don't think there are any more detergents sold in the USA that contain rinse Aid. The new formulation of Electrasol tabs does not contain jet dry rinse aid, at least not by reading the description on the box. I still have boxes of the old formula and have compared the composition of the tablet as described on the box. The old formula: white layer contains detergent blue layer contains presoakers the little white ball contains Jet Dry rinse agent. The new Red Ball formula: white layer contains detergent the blue layer contains Jet Dry rinse agent action the little red ball contains presoakers. the tab contains etch protector From this I don't think containing Jet dry and having Jet Dry rinse agent action is the same thing. Maybe I am being to critical but the box says "3n1 100% clean plus Jet-Dry shine" I also use Electrasol gel pacs and get very good results. These also have Jet Dry rinse agent action and enzymes in the gel. The only thing about pacs and most tablets is that you cannot control the dosage. I did a dissolve test using a water temp of 104F which is the temp of the short wash. I shook the solution in a bottle which may not be as vigorous as the action inside the DW. I found that: ElectraSol tabs would not dissolve in 104F. Cascade powder would not dissolve in 104F Miele tabs completely dissolved at 104F ElectraSol powder almost completely dissolved at 104F. The manual says not to use tabs with the short wash. So at least with this current model it has sittings for tabs so I guess Miele is saying you can use them. If anyone knows of a detergent that still contains rinse agent I would like to know. It seems that all detergents now contain some form of etch protector and not rinse aid..I wonder if there is something in these new formulations that increases the chances for etching, thus the protection has been included to help mitigate? One last thing. I have used Electrasol powder with chlorine bleach in this machine. I used it in the previous one. It works for normal soil, but it does not always clean stuck on baked on items as well as an enzyme detergent. A few weeks ago I tried Electrasol Gel - also with chlorine bleach. It left a white film covering everything in the DW - don't know why but I am not using it again. So for Gels Cascade Gel and, Electra Sol Gel pacs(no CB) work good in my water conditions. Electra Sol tabs the old and new formulations work well, Miele tabs work well, Cascade action Paks work well. Ecover left grit all over everything including the insides of the machine...NEVER AGAIN. Cascade powder works very well too I just don't like the scent I smell when I dispense it.

Lodge made a cast iron bundt pan which they offered until about 2002. It comes up occasionally on ebay. I know there are fakes/reproductions of the Griswold Santa pan, Rabbit pan and Lamb pan. I have no idea how to identify the reproductions but since there's no way I'd be paying mega-bucks for a cake mold, for me it's not an issue. You might consider a homemade Baker's Pan Coating, which won't leave the residue Pam does. It works extremely well with cast iron. 1 part shortening, 1 part flour, 1 part oil. Whip the shortening till fluffy. Add the flour and beat well then the oil. Finished texture should be like soft buttercream. Store in the fridge and apply with a basting brush. It works better with bundt pans and molds than any commercial product I've tried. Carol

An angel food large tube pan is needed for this recipe. I make it when we have house guests. It keeps for 5 days. Apple Tube Cake Makes 12 to 14 servings Angle food pan is a must for this cake. There is NO substitute for a tube pan — do not use a bundt — cake has too much batter for that. 
4 cups unbleached flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups granulated sugar

 Grated rind of 1 orange 1 cup orange juice 1 cup vegetable oil

 4 large eggs 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/3 cup demerara (coarse granulated brown) sugar (or dark brown sugar) 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 

5 tart Granny Smith apples 

 Nonstick baking spray 
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat the oven to 350 F. Coat the tube pan thoroughly with the nonstick spray; set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar in a sifter and pass it through into a bowl or onto wax paper twice.Transfer them to a large mixing bowl (or mixer bowl) and set aside. Grate the orange into a 1-quart measuring cup with pouring spout or mixing bowl. Squeeze and add the orange juice, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat lightly with a fork to thoroughly mix; set aside. Mix the demerara sugar thoroughly with the cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Peel, quarter and core the apples, then slice them into ¼-inch thick pieces. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the demerara-cinnamon mixture; set aside. Add the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on low until the batter is smooth and evenly textured with no small lumps. Pour half the batter into the bottom of the tube pan. Scatter half the apples over then sprinkle with half the remaining demerara-cinnamon mixture. Add remaining batter evenly over the apples. Add the remaining apples and sprinkle the remaining demerara mixture over it. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer inserted into several spots in the cake ring is withdrawn clean. Cool on a cake rack for 1-1/2 hours. Remove ring by placing the cake carefully on a cup or jar and easing the ring away. Continue to cool the cake on the rack until it reaches room temperature. To unmold (optional) place a double layer of paper plates on top of the cake. Invert it, ease the ring off the cake. Then turn the cake right side up on a platter. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

My father's family had a chocolate version recipe and we called it "Dad's 3-Hole Cake"... always one of my favorites, especially when frosted with a cooked white frosting that isn't icky sweet, or just sprinkled w/ confectioner's sugar. The batter makes great cupcakes too. ETA: re the MW cake in a mug, I made up a gf recipe to try last year and it came out pretty good. I used a soup mug (wider and more shallow) rather than a coffee mug and I'd recommend that to help it cook more evenly in the MW.