Saturday, February 16, 2013

Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake


In the latest issue of Bon Appetit, under the section "Sweet Comforts" was a recipe that enticed me today--Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake.  I've had a love affair with buttermilk since the first time I baked with my mother.  Biscuits, pancakes, Irish Soda Bread, German's Chocolate Cake, etc. all had this wonderful dairy product that I continue to use in my baked goods.

Buttermilk and cultured buttermilk are two different things; the first is the liquid left behind when butter is churned from cream and the later, is what we bake with today.  Cultured buttermilk used in the United States, as well as, in India, Pakistan, Middle East, Germany, Poland, Scandinavia and the Netherlands, is a fermented dairy product of cows milk that has been left in a warm place to produce lactic acid bacteria.  It's thicker than milk and produces a "richness" to anything that is baked with it.

My mother used to drink a glass of buttermilk, almost daily and I've done it occasionally--it's an acquired taste and when my grandson was here at Christmas time, he wanted to taste some.  He drank it right down, handed me back the glass and said, "Good!"

Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup finely grated lemon zest (from approximately 8 lemons)
4 large eggs
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 T baking powder
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk

Glaze:
3/4 cup apricot or peach preserves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan, set aside.
In a medium bowl, add the lemon zest to the granulated sugar and using your fingertips, rub together until lemon sugar is well-blended.

Place the lemon sugar in a stand mixer with the unsalted butter and using the paddle attachment mix on high until mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to blend and occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  After the last egg, beat an additional 4 minutes.
Place the dry ingredients in the bowl you just had the sugar/lemon mixture in and whisk to combine.
 Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients)  Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake cake until golden brown and beginning to pull away from sides of pan, 60 to 70 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan about 10 minutes.  Invert cake onto a serving platter.

 To make glaze, combine the preserves and lemon juice in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until glaze is reduced to 1/2-cup (6 to 8 minutes).  Strain glaze into a small pitcher or 1-cup glass measure.  Pour glaze over cooled cake and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.



  As this lovely lemony cake was baking we had a fluke hail storm pass over and I was reminded we are still in the the midst of winter.

 I was also reminded of one of Kelly's favorite poems by Emily Dickinson~

"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me. 

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend and Mother Nature is being kind to you. Enjoy!

37 comments:

  1. I love a good poem and that one is very pretty. Your cake looks amazing but then again, I have never thought any different of anything you bake. Hugs, Deb

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    1. That poem is the last one that my daughter posted on her blog before she passed away--I can just about recite it from heart. This cake would be wonderful with a cup of tea, XOXO

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    1. A slice would be perfect on one of your beautiful plates!

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  3. I must agree with Deb....everything you bake looks wonderful to me. I'm very fond of anything lemon. I also use cultured buttermilk, even in cornbread. I was surprised to see they make reduced fat buttermilk....

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    1. I find this at our local grocery store, Albertson's, and don't see any difference in my baked goods with the reduced-fat. The manufacturer has probably just used 2% to make it instead of whole milk. I love lemon too and when I come across a good recipe, it will be a keeper! XOXO

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  4. You must have lots of friends and family to share your nuclei nary creations with...this cake looks divine...as I love lemon and bundt cakes and buttermilk in cooking. I hope that the hail storm caused no damage.

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    1. The "pellets" were small, but it didn't take long to cover everything, then, as quick as it came, it was gone! The cake definitely brought some "sunshine" in and tasted so good--worth making again, for sure, XOXO

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  5. sometimes I hate the iPad...I was trying to say " culinary creations."

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  6. When I was a kid we always made chocolate cake with buttermilk. My dad would drink the leftover milk. I don't like buttermilk and being frugal, I don't like to buy something that will go to waste so I don't use buttermilk in baking. The cake looks wonderful however!

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    1. As a substitute for the buttermilk, just add 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar to a cup of milk. Let stand about 10 minutes and it will have soured and thickened, just like buttermilk!

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  7. I love tangy sweet cakes..this looks like a perfect afternoon tea accompaniment for me, Susan.
    Have a relaxing Sunday!
    Angie

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    1. The "extra" lemon zest was so delightful...I didn't even care about the hail:-D

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  8. What a beautiful cake - doubly so since it is lemon. Your chocolate recipes are enjoyed by my husband - but the lemon and vanilla ones are the ones which get my taste buds going. I love that poem.

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    1. Lemon is one of my favorites too--I love the color and the taste is indescribably delicious. I'd make this cake again, XOXO

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  9. Hi Susan! this is my type of cake. I am going to definately try this recipe. remember back in the days when you lived here in CT? my husband still refers to you as "the cookie lady". Our winter has started out with a bang this year! I'm sure you've heard we had a good 3 ft. of snow from storm nemo since then a dusting or two. Still have big drifts of snow all over town and of course on our little street. oh well, that's winter. stay safe and warm.
    your friend sue
    http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/

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    1. Sue, I miss our stamping days...I don't miss the snow in the winter and the humidity in the summer! Stay warm and cozy and create:-D

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  10. Love the glaze idea! Great inspiration, as always. Beautiful poem.

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    1. The poem is one of my favorites and seemed fitting. The cake was just amazing and I'll definitely be making it again. XOXO

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  11. We are having a cold but sunny day here! I think a yummy lemon cake would be amazing. I think I'll print out this recipe for sure!
    Love the poem!
    hugs,
    Linda

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    1. It turned out perfect and has been the brightness I needed to make our rainy days seem sunnier. XOXO

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  12. I bet this Bundt cake is super lemony and super moist! I so love a good lemon cake. Lovely poem...And, yes, we have sunny and clear weather here. :) Not bad for a week of vacation and chores. I'm making your English muffins on Tues. I'll let you know how they turn out. Lv, me

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    1. I was so thinking of you when baking this cake...I know you can "booze" it up and make it your own. Have a lovely week off; can't wait to see those muffins, XOXO

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  13. Oh Susan, that looks luscious.

    Loved the poem by Emily Dickinson, too.

    Susan, thank you SO MUCH for your wonderful visits and sweet comments to my blog. They mean SO MUCH to me. Susan

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    1. I love stopping by; your blog always makes me smile, XOXO

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  14. that is one of my favorites too, i would have loved your daughter susan. would you believe i've never had buttermilk? probably in baked goods, but never a glass. this looks so beautiful, too good to eat. i'm still dreaming of those english muffins... :)

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    1. Maybe one day, I'll figure out how to do an online class in bread-baking and we can all make English muffins together! XOXO

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  15. Beautiful recipe !
    it looks breathtaking

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    1. Thanks you for stopping by. It really is a great recipe and I can see it dressed up with fresh strawberries when they're in!

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  16. this looks so decadent and perfect! x

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  17. Lemony flavored things are such a treat! Thanks for sharing the beautiful poem, too.

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  18. That first picture looks inviting :-)

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  19. This looks delicious! That is also one of my favorite poems, thanks for posting it. I'm working on a "hope" project and I think I will print a copy of that poem to go with it.

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  20. Loved the Sunday socials, but when my eyes drifted to "LEMON"...well, I cannot resist anything lemon. This looks scrumptious.
    Now that I'm taking a break from posting, maybe I can finally try a couple of your recipes.
    XOXO's

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  21. This looks so good and the glaze is something I would never have thought of doing with the preserves. We live in a part of Texas frequently visited by hail storms but it's a bit unusual in the middle of winter! And the poem is so touching...

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