Mmm Mmm Monday! Lemon Bundt Cake

This lemon bundt cake recipe comes from the September 16, 2008 issue of Woman's Day magazine (you can probably find it at your library, like I did).  Oh, look!  Here it is online.  I had been looking for something to do with a bunch of directionless lemons I had laying around the house when I came upon this recipe.  It takes about 4 lemons to get the 3/4 c. total lemon juice needed here.  The 1 T. zest takes about 1/2 to 3/4 lemon (I don't measure out the zest; I just do it over the bowl until it looks like there's enough).

This cake is great as dessert; also with coffee or tea in the morning.  Kevin looooves this cake.  I've made it about 3 times recently (one's cooling right now!) and he's been taking some in to work with him.  He likes to take something bready and/or sweet.  This week he'll have his choice of this lemon cake or some of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread from a (gasp!) mix.  The saleslady stocking the shelf was just so nice and said it was so good and before I knew it I had two boxes in my basket.  It wasn't until I brought it home and Kevin mentioned that I'd bought a mix that I'd even realized that I had, in fact, bought a mix.

As an aside, I went to Trader Joe's in CT bc...my mother wanted to go.  My mother, queen of the dollar store, wanted to go to Trader Joe's.  I'd never even been to a Trader Joe's, although it'd been in the back of my mind to go sometime bc the people who like it really like it.  That and Whole Foods.  Now, predictably enough, she wanted to go bc she was almost out of the honey that Bro #1 gets from there for her and is actually less expensive than in the usual places, e.g., grocery stores, probably bc it's sold in 3 lb. tubs.  Even though she was going there bc the item she wanted was cheaper, I was pleased to see that she wanted to go.  I think the last few years of being mostly at home, caring for my dad, have made her hesitant to go out and/or somewhat unused to it.  So that was encouraging.

As a further aside, for any unattached but looking lesbians out there, Trader Joe's - at least this one - was Lesbian Central.  So go out there and make small talk by the organic, free trade rutabagas.

The great thing about this cake is that it's so good...and there isn't even any chocolate in it.  As far as I'm concerned, that's nothing short of amazing.

Cake

• 1 c. plain lowfat yogurt

• 1 T. grated lemon zest

• 1/4 c. lemon juice

• 1 t. vanilla extract

• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened

• 2 c. sugar

• 1-1/2 t. baking powder

• 1/2 t. baking soda

• 4 large eggs

• 2-3/4 c. cake flour (not self-rising)

Lemon Syrup

• 1/2 c. lemon juice

• 1/2 c. sugar

• 1/4 c. water

Glaze

• 1 c. confectioners' sugar

• 4 to 5 t. milk

Instructions

1. Cake: Heat oven to 350 o F.

2. Spray a 10" bundt pan with nonstick spray and dust w/flour.  (I didn't use flour.)

3. Whisk yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla in small bowl.

4. Beat butter, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until creamy.

5. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended.  (I beat them in all at once.  I don't have time for this namby pamby one-at-a-time business.  Elitist eggs want to be treated as individuals.  Sheesh.)

6. On low speed, beat in yogurt just until blended.

7. On low speed, beat in flour just until blended.

8. Spread into prepared pan.

9. Bake 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean.

10. Cool in pan on wire rack 12 minutes before inverting on rack.  (See Step 12 for why 12 minutes.  It doesn't really matter how long it cools as long as it's a little warm when you put on the syrup.)

11. Syrup: While cake is cooling, bring syrup ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan.

12. Reduce heat to medium, simmer uncovered, 12 minutes or until syrupy.  (I haven't found that it actually gets syrupy.  When I think 'syrupy', I think of maple syrup's consistency.  It doesn't get that thick, but it doesn't have to.  It's thinner than maple syrup, but it works fine.)

13. Brush over warm cake; let cool.

14. Glaze: Mix confectioners' sugar and just enough milk until smooth.  (You probably want to make it thicker than in the pictures below.)

15. Spoon over cooled cake.

16. Let stand until glaze sets.