My toxic trait is buying way more citrus than I could ever possibly use (I actually used to eat lemons and limes straight as a snack as a kid, that was until my dentist talked some sense into me, so maybe that is my toxic trait?). I feel safe and secure when my kitchen is teeming with lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits. With a bowl full of bright and vibrant citrus, the possibilities are endless. Margarita? Coming right up. A creamy batch of curd? Just add egg yolks and sugar. A flavorful pasta that makes me feel like I’m in Sicily? Yes, please.
Now back to reality. I cook for a living, so all the extra grand ideas I have swimming around in my head usually get pushed to the wayside (except margs, those happen, often), so I wind up looking for last minute ways to use up a glut of citrus. This cake is the perfect way to do so. All in you’ll probably need about 8 lemons to whip up this beauty, but you could also swap in limes, oranges or whatever you have on hand. Think of it like using up rotten bananas in banana bread, but better.
Whenever I bake this bundt I like to think that Mary Berry would be very proud of my own version of a lemon drizzle, but she would probably be disappointed that I use olive oil instead of butter. But Mary, if you are reading this (in my dreams), I promise it’s good! The fruity olive oil balances really well with the sharp acidity of the lemon juice and yields an incredibly good crumb. Whatever you do, make sure you prepare your pan super well. There is nothing more disappointing than a stuck bundt, and we’ve all been there. You want to make sure to either use a spray specific for baking (so one that contains flour) or to use a ton of softened butter to get into all those nooks and crannies before dusting the whole thing with flour.
Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- Nonstick Baking Style Spray, or Softened Butter (for preparing the pan)
- 3 cups all purpose flour (408 grams), plus more for dusting pan
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (285 grams)
- 4 lemons, zested
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Pinch of kosher salt
For the Bundt Cake
For the Lemon Syrup
For the Glaze
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Prepare a 12-cup capacity bundt pan by coating it heavily with nonstick baking spray, or coating it in butter and flour (tap out excess flour). Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder together, then whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add granulated sugar and lemon zest. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar for 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, olive oil, sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla bean paste. Whisk for 2-3 minutes, or until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, whisking just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use a spoon to smooth into an even layer, pushing some of the batter up the sides of the pan slightly to help with even baking.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake-tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cake bakes, make the lemon syrup and lemon glaze. To make the syrup, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature before using. To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more sugar if too runny and more cream if too thick.
Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack and gently remove the pan. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then brush with lemon syrup. You want to try to add all of the syrup to the cake, so you may need to add it in layers. Let sit for 20 minutes to absorb, then drizzle with glaze before serving.
Cake will keep (tightly wrapped) at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for 5 days.
[…] Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Cinnamon Sugar — Here, You Look Hungry […]
Love you Molly! I’m so glad I shared those snacks with you 😍. These cookies are just a hunk of…
I’ve had the bourbon shortbread cookies and they taste like a true “Old Fashion”.