Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Daring Bakers

Life has very much gotten in the way this month, so I haven't completed the challenge. I did however successfully defend my MA thesis today! I have a few corrections to do, but it will be done no later than Friday and I will have the challenge done this weekend. And then I will rededicate myself to baking and blogging!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Lemon Bundt Cake

Baking has not gone just fantastic lately. I made mini-cupcakes out of the previously used PW recipe so that I could give the "Best Frosting Ever" a try. The batter produced over 100 mini cupcakes and I felt like it was such a waste. This is so so so much better as the cake...and so so so much better with the chocolate frosting. And let me tell you what, this was not the best frosting ever. I didn't even ice all the cupcakes with it. I used some store bought instead (it was almost 1 am and I didn't want to make my own).

Tonight I tried a lemon bundt cake recipe I came across. The glaze was quite nice, though thinner than my favorites. The cake was a real disappointment. The lemon was so faint it can hardly be called a lemon cake. We're going to throw it out. No need to take in all those calories for a sub-par dessert. I'll throw on the recipe anyways, but I would not recommend it unless you were really in a pinch.

Getting a bit disheartened though. The first month was one lovely recipe after another...since then it's been hit or miss. I guess that's what happens when you're pulling recipes from various sources on the internet. :)

Ingredients:

· 1 cup butter

· 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

· 1/3 cup lemon juice

· 5 eggs

· 3 cups all-purpose flour

· 2 teaspoons baking powder

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 2/3 cup milk

Glaze

· 1 cup confectioners' sugar

· 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the 1/3 cup lemon juice until well blended. Bet in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the first mixture, a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Pour batter into a greased 12-cup Bundt cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched with a finger. Also, cake will slightly pull away from sides of pan. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan; invert and cool completely on a rack.

Glaze:
Blend confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth; drizzle over the cake.