Holiday Bunt Cakes, Chocolate Coffee with Sour Cream Glaze and Lemon Buttermilk

Recipe found on ( Once Upon a Chef)

I followed this recipe. And I believe it's the best. But I have a million more to try.

I had a ton of Lemons on our tree here in California, so I thought why not make Lemon Buttermilk pound cake. All the women in the family love anything baked with lemons.

This was the first time I have made this cake, it's a winner for sure. Tart and sweet and just right with a hot tea on a cold day. Hey it's cold here in California this time of year. Well us Californians think so anyway. So try it sometime when your in the mood for lemon flavor. Enjoy.

Tip: Add one Tablespoon Lemon juice or Vinegar to scant Cup of Milk to make Buttermilk Sub. If you don't have the real deal on hand.

One 10-inch bundt cake

For the Cake

3 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife, plus more for the pan

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2-1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk (low fat is fine)

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, packed (note: you'll need 4-5 large lemons for the entire recipe)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Syrup

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, packed

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. With an hand held mixer, that's what I use, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time, for about 40 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.

4. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice.

5. With the mixer on low speed, beat in one-quarter of the flour mixture, then one-third of the buttermilk mixture. Keep doing this until you use it all up and end with the flour.

6. Spoon the thick batter ( and it is thick) into the prepared bundt pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

7. Cool the cake in the pan for ten minutes on a rack.

8. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

9. Invert the warm cake onto a rack. Slip a large piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil under the rack to catch all the drips from the syrup and glaze. Gradually brush the hot syrup over the cake, letting it soak in (a little syrup will drip off, but try not to rush so that most of it is absorbed). Allow the cake to cool completely, about one hour.

10. When the cake is cool, make the glaze. Combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and melted butter in a medium bowl, mixing with a fork until smooth. Add more confectioners' sugar or lemon juice as necessary to make a thick but pourable glaze. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

The Big Chocolate Bunt Cake

This is Joythebaker's Cake

For the Cake:

1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon brewed coffee

3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 whole eggs

1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoon canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups, plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted

For the Glaze:

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan and set aside.

To make the cake batter: Put brewed coffee and cocoa powder in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat and let come to room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment, mix together sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs and egg yolk on low speed for about 1 minute. Add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract and mix on low again for another minute.

Add the flour and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the cooled cocoa mixture and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. The batter will be very loose. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan and then invert onto a cooling rack.

To make the icing: Chop the chocolate into small pieces, put them in a heatproof bowl (or a double boiler), and set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Be sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the boiling water. Remove the bowl from the heat when all of the chocolate bits have melted.

Melt the butter in a separate pan or in the microwave. Whisk the melted butter into the melted chocolate until thoroughly incorporated. Sift in half of the powdered sugar. Add the sour cream and whisk to combine. Sift in the remaining powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. The glaze should be thick and shiny. Lastly, add the coffee and whisk to create a glossy glaze.

Pour the glaze over the Bundt cake, covering it completely. Leave at room temperature until ready to serve.

The Chocolate Cake is Joy the Bakers and it really is the best.