Moist Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cake

Sue Maree P -

I love citrus cakes, especially with lemon. This lemon drizzle cake in a bundt pan is deliciously moist and the subtle lemon tang is a great afternoon treat or a sneaky breakfast cake with coffee. Fluffy and light you won't be able to resist baking this for a treat.

Bundt cakes are super impressive and easy to bake once you know how. Here are a few Bundt Cake Tips:

Why a bundt cake?
A bundt pan has pretty decorative sides and tops that range from ridges to fruit, or other still-life scenes and is a very impressive celebration cake or a special centrepiece on your table.

Can you use any recipe for a bundt cake?
Not all recipes translate well into a bundt tin. I have had a few disasters. If you make the cake with too much fruit the fruity bits tend to get stuck in the ridges of the bundt tin. If you make the cake too moist like the time I made a super moist hummingbird cake, half of the cake stayed in the pan and the other half didn't cook properly. The best style of cake is a butter cake or what is also known as a pound cake and other cakes like citrus cake, coffee cake or banana cake. Butter cake batter has a lot more moisture than standard cake batter due to all the butter, milk and eggs.

How to avoid a bundt cake sticky?
I would suggest avoiding using oil spray. My tip is to generously spread melted butter with a silicon pastry brush close to when you’re ready to pour your batter in the pan. I have tried getting clever and preparing my cake tin before starting and then the cake got stuck inside the pan.

How to get your bundt cake out?
Do you flip a bundt cake right away? No, it is best to allow a good 10 minutes for the cake to cool.  My tip is to sit the base of the cake tin on a damp tea towel or large kitchen cloth. The steam from the damp cloth will help release the cake slowly release from the sides of the tin.

How to clean your bundt tin?
Rinse in hot soapy water. I would recommend to not soak your Bundt pan for more than 15 minutes, as it may damage the coating. If cleaning hardened crisp cake residue and crumbs out of a pan, try gently using a plastic spatula on your dry cake tin to loosen and remove the bits prior to soaking in water. I would avoid cleaning your cake tin in the dishwasher. If you hand wash your cake tins they will last stay in better condition longer.

What are the best bundt cake tins?
Best bundt cake tins or pans are from the original company in US - Nordic Ware. These cake tins are expensive but they will last a lifetime a beautiful gift for someone. https://www.nordicware.com

Where do I buy a Nordic Ware bundt tin in the  UK?
The UK stockists are: John Lewis, Harts of Stur, Divertimenti.

What is the History and who invented the first bundt pan?
H. David Dalquist, a metallurgy expert who unwittingly secured a place in culinary history when he cast the first Bundt cake pan in 1950…Dalquist made the Bundt pan - a ring form with a center post and elegantly fluted sides -- for the Minneapolis chapter of a Jewish women’s society whose members sought to reproduce a cake their European mothers had made.

Sixteen years later, the confluence of a baking contest, changes in women’s lives and the rise of convenience foods made the pan a kitchen staple and put Dalquist’s Nordic Ware brand on the baking world’s map.

His Minneapolis-based company has since sold more than 45 million Bundt pans and inspired a host of imitators, making the distinctive cake mould one of the most popular in the world.

(exert from https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-09-me-dalquist9-story.html)

Ingredients

Cake

  • 225g unsalted butter (whipped at room temperature)
  • 200g (1 cup) caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 300g (approx. 2.5 cups) plain flour (or white spelt flour) (sifted)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarb soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp lemon juice + zest of a lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp buttermilk (1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of milk, sit at room temperature to curdle)

Sugar Syrup

  • 50g (1/4 cup)sugar
  • 60ml (1/4 cup) water
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

Drizzle Icing

  • 200g (2 cups) icing sugar (powdered sugar) sifted
  • 3 tbsp buttermilk (a little at a time)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract + 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 drops of white food colouring

Method

  1. Preheat oven 160˚C – grease and flour your large bundt tin.
  2. Whip the butter and sugar until white and fluffy.
  3. Add in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, juice and zest.
  4. In a separate bowl whisk the sifted flour, baking powder and bicarb soda.
  5. Fold the flour and mix it into the wet ingredients slowly. It is important not to over mix at this stage.
  6. Spoon batter into your tin and spread evenly to ensure no air pockets. Tap the tin before placing it in the oven.
  7. Bake on the middle shelf for 35-40 mins. Add foil to the top of the cake for the final 10 minutes to avoid overcooking the top.
  8. Once bake, rest your tin for 10-15 mins on a damp tea towel to help release the cake from the pan. Gently use a silicone spatula to help release the cake from the sides and centre, then place a flat plate on the top of the cake and flip over to release your ring cake.
  9. Poke holes in the cake with a skewer and liberally brush the cake with the sugar syrup (this will help keep the cake moist for a few days).
  10. Let the cake cool for at least 2 hours, before adding the icing drizzle.
  11. Store in a sealed container on the bench for 3-4 days. The cake could be stored in the freezer without the icing.

*oat milk could be swapped for regular milk or another plant-based milk. White flour could be swapper for spelt flour.