Ultralemony Lemon Bundt Cake (with an optional Lemon Glaze)

Lemon cake is one of my favorite desserts. I don't remember precisely what cake I would ask for on my birthday growing up, but I do remember lemon or orange cakes appearing by request for special occasions. This ultralemony lemon Bundt cake with a lemon glaze (slightly adapted from Baked Occasions) is the pinnacle of all the lemon cakes, and perfect for Spring when there's a surplus of lemons to be had. Yes, there's already a lemon (yogurt) Bundt cake on this blog.... both cakes are great, but this one has much more lemon flavor.

The first time I made the ultralemony lemon Bundt cake from Baked Occasions was almost exactly one year ago. Living in New Jersey at the time, I agonized over the number of lemons called for (the zest of 10!! lemons), because a single lemon cost $0.99... For that first attempt, I cheaped out and used the zest of "only" five Meyer lemons, for a grand total of 15 grams, rather than the 60 grams specified in Baked Occasions. I was also on the fence about 2 tablespoons of lemon extract, so I skimped and added 1.5 tablespoons. Using the common substitution for cake flour, I used all-purpose flour + cornstarch ( 1 cup AP flour - 2 tablespoons AP flour + 2 tablespoons cornstarch).

Benefiting from the wisdom of those who baked before me, I thoroughly sprayed my Bundt pan with copious amounts of Baking Pam spray.  After 50 minutes in the oven, my kitchen smelled like heaven. I took my cake out, waited impatiently for it to cool slightly, then tried to turn it out onto a rack. Total disaster. The cake sank dramatically during that brief cooling period and split apart into three distinct sections, except for the top, which persisted in sticking to the bottom of my (well-sprayed!) Bundt pan. I pried out the top, fit everything together, and brushed on the lemon simple syrup to help keep the top from drying out.

Based on everything I read in the Baked Sunday Morning round-up, I skipped the almond extract and used a teaspoon of vanilla plus a tablespoon of milk in its place, beaten with 3 cups of confectioner's sugar for the frosting. In spite of how fallen and broken this lemon Bundt cake was, I adored it, and vowed to make it again the next time I had cheaper access to lemons.

Fast forward almost a year and my mom gifts me with an entire bag of Meyer lemons from my parents' tree. My first thought was, "I can make the ultralemony lemon Bundt cake!". So I did.

I gleefully zested my ten lemons, tossed lemon in sugar, and let the sugar sit for a week in an air-tight container, shaking it every day. I replaced the lemon extract and rum with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice + 1 tablespoon whiskey because I didn't have any rum or lemon extract. Much to my chagrin, since it had been a year, I forgot all about how the cake had sunk during cooling. My cake exploded in the oven. I am still finding burnt crumbs of cake in the broiler drawer. I thought for sure it would be ruined because of the smoke, but somehow the remaining batter survived. I took the cake out after about 50-55 minutes and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before adding the glaze. Even after losing so much batter to the oven, my cake still sank.

This time, I somehow made too much lemon syrup (I think), and it completely ruined the texture and crumb of the cake. It was still edible, but not nearly as good as the cake by itself, without the lemon syrup. So, I figured I should make it again... and I warned my mom (who I'd directed to the recipe) to use only 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon of baking powder.

The next time, I forgot about the baking powder = explosion & sinking dilemma. I don't have an excuse because less than a month elapsed. It was after I'd added everything that I realized I meant to add less baking powder. To prevent wrecking havoc on my parents' oven, I baked cupcake versions of the lemon Bundt cake, filling regular muffin tins only halfway full to give the batter plenty of room to rise. This worked like a dream, the cupcakes baked for almost exactly 20 minutes in a convection oven, and barely sank at all. However, they weren't are dense in the middle or as crispy on the edges as the Bundt cake was.

I think on my fourth try, I'm going to nail this cake.

1. Beg or barter for fresh lemons (or just use half the amount).

2. Zest the lemons a week ahead of time and make lemon sugar for maximal impact (especially if zesting fewer lemons).

3. Cut the amount of baking powder in half if not in thirds.

4. Replace the lemon extract with lemon juice. Four tablespoons fresh lemon juice & one tablespoon rum or whiskey works well. Vodka would also be acceptable. An almond liquor like Disaronno might be fantastic.

5. Be careful with the amount of lemon syrup you brush on the cake. Don't use too much, or skip it entirely for a gorgeous "crispy" crust on the lemon Bundt cake.

6. This cake is good with the lemon syrup and a vanilla or lemon glaze, but it really doesn't need either of those. Keep in mind, I'm someone who loves a good glaze.

The original recipe is available on Baked Sunday Mornings.