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Lemon Bundt Cake

Bake up a bit of sunshine with this gorgeous Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake from King Arthur Baking Company with a nod to Maida Heatter. Grease your Bundt pan well to avoid sticking. If you want MOAR lemon flavor, they recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil. I don't have any and still found the end result amazing, FYI.
I know it LOOKS like a lot of steps to this cake, but you make the Glaze while the cake is baking. You can't ice the cake until it's cooled anyway, so it doesn't feel like you're trapped in the kitchen at all.
Note: King Arthur Baking says you can make 20 cupcakes, filling greased paper liners 1/4 cup full. Bake 350* until tester inserted in the center is clean or roughly 25 minutes (start checking after 20). I have not tried it, but there you go.
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Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 Bundt Cake

Equipment

  • 1 10- to 12- Cup Capacity Bundt Cake Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Cup Butter Softened
  • 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 4 Large Eggs Room Temperature
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Cup Milk Whole is Best
  • 2 Medium Lemons Finely Grated OR 3/4 teaspoon Lemon Oil Or, use the two lemons AND add 1/2 teaspoon Lemon Oil for extra zing (says KAFB).

Glaze

  • 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice (Will take not quite 2 good lemons)
  • 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

Icing (Optional, But HIGHLY Recommended)

  • 1 1/2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
  • Pinch Salt (Salt brings out the sweetness)
  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice (Bottled swapped Tablespoon for Tablespoon)

Instructions
 

Cake

  • 350* oven.
  • Grease the 10- to 12- cup capacity Bundt pan and set to the side.
  • Cream together the Butter, Sugar, and Salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • Add in the Eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after both are added, and remixing just until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine Flour and Baking Baking Powder.
  • Measure Milk and ALTERNATE the addition of Flour Mixture and the Milk in THREE additions, beginning and ending with the Flour Mixture.
  • The batter will have lumps and bumps, so don't worry. DO NOT try to mix out the lumps or you will OVERMIX the batter and mess up your cake.
  • Mix in the Lemon Zest and/or the Lemon Oil. Stir ONLY until combined.
  • Pour into your prepared pan. Smoosh around the batter so it's mostly even on the top.
  • Bake 350* for 45-60 minutes, TESTING after 40 minutes in case your oven is a hottie or you use a dark pan. Stick a toothpick in the center. No crumbs = done.

Glaze

  • Meanwhile, as the cake bakes, combine the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepot, and briefly, BRIEFLY heat, for ONE MINUTE, while STIRRING to dissolve the sugar. The whole point of heating the juice and sugar briefly! is to dissolve the sugar so you don't have chunks of sugar spread all over your cake.

Remove Cake from Pan

  • Now, when you take the cake out of the oven, run a knife along the edge of the pan and the cake. Then, set the pan upside down on the cooling rack. I would pop the cooling rack on the top of the cake then turn it upside down that way, just in case your cake wants to jump out.
    IF your cake doesn't drop, let it rest for 5 minutes, then take the pan off the cake. If it STILL sticks, wait until 5 minutes, and then CAREFULLY wiggle the pan to loosen it off the cake.
    IF your cake has a sticking point, make a note. If it does that often, it's time for a new pan. Otherwise, you know you missed a spot greasing. Bummer. But, don't worry. The icing will hide it!

Glaze the Cake

  • While the cake is STILL HOT, brush on the juice and sugar mixture. Use it ALL. Keep brushing and working your way around the cake, repeating as necessary.

Icing

  • COOL THE CAKE.
  • Is the cake cool for sure? If "yes," move ahead. If not, refer to the step above, and hold your horses. If you pour icing over a hot cake, the icing will melt and look terrible. Give it an hour and see how it feels.
  • Combine the Powdered Sugar, Salt, and 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice.
  • Is the icing BARELY pourable? You want a nice, thick icing here, not a wimpy, thin icing. It should be very white and dense. If it is TOO dense, add in more juice a SMIDGEN at a time. I wouldn't do more than a teaspoon at a time, just to be on the safe side.
  • Pour icing over the cake. You can get all fancy, following the outline of your pan lines, or you can dump the icing all over the top, like I did, and still have the family freak out over wanting a slice RIGHT NOW.
  • Store, covered, on your counter so 1. no one forgets it and 2. because it's so pretty. Instant sunshine in your kitchen.
Keyword Pound Cake and Bundt Cake