These mini bundt cakes are soft, buttery and full of lemony flavour
Bundt cakes are one of my favourite types of cakes to bake as their elegantly moulded appearance makes them visually stunning and impressive. What’s more is that Bundt cakes can get away with the simplest of icings, such as an easy drizzle of syrup or a dust of icing sugar – they will still appear a work of art. The only issue with Bundt cakes? The moment of truth when you hold your breath and turn the tin upside down in hopes your cake comes out in one piece! We have all been there – for me more than once; and so I want to offer you the tips I have learnt along the way for your cake to slide out perfectly intact time and time again!
Tips to bake perfectly formed Bundt Cakes:
1. Use a good quality non-stick pan For my recipe, I used the Le Creuset 12 Cup Mini Bundt Tray. Le Creuset uses only the best quality non-stick carbon coated steel in their bakeware. This quality coating ensures that even after long term use, the pan will remain protected. This coating will see your cakes release perfectly each time. Another feature of this pan is the added heat resistant silicone inserts placed on the rim of the tray for easy and safe handling. No fingers will get burnt in the making of your cakes! The tray can also withstand oven temperatures of up to 240 degrees and is also freezer safe. Despite the many grooves in this tin, I found it extremely easy to wash with only warm soapy water and a dishcloth. 2. Grease and dust the cake pan Using a pastry brush, grease a thin layer of butter thoroughly into every crevice of the tin. Alternatively, use a spray cooking oil and again ensure every nook and cranny is covered with the oil – be careful not to over grease. Next, you will need to lightly dust the Bundt holes with either icing sugar, flour or cocoa powder. Cocoa powder for chocolate cake, icing sugar for a crisper outer layer, and flour for all other light-coloured bakes. Use a sieve to lightly dust the pan, then turn the pan upside down over the sink and gently tap the base to remove any excess dust.
Always allow the cake to cool before attempting to get it out. If you skip this step, you will find the moisture will make the cake stick to the top of the pan, and only half or only parts of it will release. You will end up with one big mess and no cake!
4. Separate the cake from the tinUse a butter knife to gently separate the edges of the cake from the tin before flipping it out. This will give it every extra chance to release and not stick inside the mould easily.
Not every cake is made equally. Make sure that you are making a Bundt-safe cake. Depending on the content and texture of your batter, your batter may stick and fail to hold the Bundt shape. For example, I have found myself not having luck with cakes containing a high amount of almond meal such as orange and almond cake, or gluten-free varieties where I have used almond meal. I would only bake smooth textured cakes in my Bundt tin and avoid overly chunky textured cakes such as a carrot cake with large walnuts and sultanas in it. Cheesecakes would also be a big no from me in a Bundt tin, and I like to use parchment paper to line my cheesecakes prior to baking. Given the unique shape of a Bundt tin, you wouldn’t be able to incorporate parchment paper, so it would be difficult to release.
When drizzling your completed cakes with icing, use the method of placing the cakes on top of the cooling rack and layering it on top of a lined baking tray. This set-up ensures the baking tray will catch any excess icing that drizzles off, preventing mess. If you find yourself short on icing, the tray also catches it neatly for you to scoop up and use again!
Happy baking this beautifully delicious one-bowl lemon Bundt drizzle cake!
Lemon Drizzle Mini Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients:- 3 eggs
- 2 fresh lemons (juice and rind)
- 70gm macadamia oil
- 150ml milk
- 300gm plain flour
- 70gm corn flour
- 250gm caster sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 200gm icing sugar
- 50ml fresh lemon juice plus lemon rind
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer using the whisk attachment, combine eggs, lemon juice and rind, macadamia oil and milk – this will take a couple of minutes (hand beaters are a good alternative to use)
3. Next, add in your dry ingredients – plain flour, corn flour, caster sugar and baking powder. Mix very briefly until only just combined.
4. Spoon or pipe the cake mixture into the individual Bundt pan moulds ¾ of the way up.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned and a skewer comes out of the centre clean.
6. After cooling for ten minutes, release your cakes from the tin and transfer them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
7. For the drizzle icing, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice plus the rind in a small saucepan and cook on low heat until completely melted.
8. Allow the icing to slightly cool and thicken to ensure it sticks to the Bundt cakes.
9. Line a baking tray with baking paper, place the cooling rack with the cakes on it over the top of the tray.
10. Pour the lemon drizzle over the cakes evenly and sit them for at least 15 minutes to allow the icing to become hard.
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