Glazed Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake

TGIF guys! Despite the fact that we’ve had yet another winter storm lingering over us for the past 2 days and woke up to many more inches of snow this morning, I’m just so darn glad it’s Friday 🙂

I started this week off telling you how much I love buttermilk and sharing a treat made with it, and I thought it’d be fitting to end the week with another recipe to help you use up that carton of buttermilk. Oh, and can I just tell you, I was so glad to read your comments on Monday’s post and see that I’m not the only one keeping buttermilk around past its expiration date. That little date on the carton is merely a suggestion as far as I’m concerned (though for the record, I’m generally more careful with other dairy products).

I always go through a citrus phase in the middle of winter. When the days are gray and dreary, as they have seemingly been for the past month, lemons always make things seem just a little more bright and cheery! This winter I’ve even had great luck finding Meyer lemons, which I just adore. In years past I feel like only one local grocery store had them and even then it was for like a week, but I’ve been seeing them everywhere lately! I can’t stop buying them, and consequently I actually have quite a backlog of lemon desserts to share with you so keep an eye out for those in the coming weeks.

This Meyer lemon buttermilk bundt cake recipe comes from Cooking Light, so it’s a little less indulgent than many others I’ve made. In other words, easier to justify for breakfast 🙂 Just kidding, I really am eating healthier lately so no cookies, cakes or pie for breakfast… I love that this cake is packed with lemon flavor in the form of lemon zest, juice and extract, not to mention the lemon glaze on top. The buttermilk helps keep it moist, it really is a great combination of two of my favorite ingredients.

I hear rumors that we might actually see the sun again this weekend, but if not, I’ll just have to keep baking with lemons. There are certainly worse problems to have!

Glazed Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake
adapted from Cooking Light, August 2007 (via MyRecipes)

{Note: I halved this recipe and baked it in a 6-cup bundt pan. The baking time for my mini was 25-30 minutes. Also, you can definitely make this cake with regular lemons if you can’t find Meyers.}

Cake
3 cups (13 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Glaze
1 cup (4 oz) confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons low-fat buttermilk
3-4 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter to the bowl and the cream the butter and sugar mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions and the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and beating just until combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan. Allow to cool completely.

To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, buttermilk and 3 teaspoons of the Meyer lemon juice. I like my glaze super thick but if you want a thinner consistency add some of the remaining Meyer lemon juice until you reach your desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled cake and allow to set before serving.