Sunday, September 5, 2010

Glazed Lemon Buttermilk Cake


Life is definitely enhanced with the addition of good friends, and I am truly blessed to have some of the most wonderful girlfriends in the world!  We have shared vacations, dinners, driving duties and yesterday, a day at the horse races.  Kids and adults alike enjoyed a slightly chilly afternoon at the Del Mar Racetrack working out our strategies and picking our favorite ponies.  Most of us lost... but what do you expect when you choose that 55-1 long shot??  I honestly believe that someday that long shot really will pay off, but it's looking like that will have to wait until next year.

 

However, the excitement grew in the eighth as #4, Pick a Kelly, rounded turn 4 and flew for the finish line.  As the kids saw their horse pull into first place they erupted in cheers and screams, their eyes glued to the pounding hooves as he crossed the finish line a winner!  


Tired, hungry and happy we turned in our ticket and headed for home where a Glazed Lemon Buttermilk Cake waited.  My new favorite gadget, the razor sharp kitchen rasp, had again made zesting the lemon a "piece of cake" providing enough zest for the cake as well as the glaze in less than a minute.  The zest added a lovely lemon tang and the buttermilk left the cake very tender.  While the cake on it's own was light and lemony, the lemon spiked glaze took it over the top adding a slight crunch with it's sweet/lemon essence.




Glazed Lemon Buttermilk Cake
from Cooking Light

Making this cake was one of the rare occasions that I made the recipe exactly as written!

Cake:
3  tablespoons  grated lemon rind (about 2 lemons)
3  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
Cooking spray
1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3 cups all-purpose flour (13 1/2 ounces)
1  teaspoon  baking powder
¾ teaspoon  salt
½ teaspoon  baking soda
½ cup  butter, softened
½ to 1 teaspoon lemon extract
3 large eggs
1 cup  low-fat buttermilk 

Lemon glaze: 
1 cup  powdered sugar
1½ tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, combine rind and 3 tablespoons juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

Coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, rind mixture, and extract, beating until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and 1 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beating at low speed, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons juice, and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm cake. Garnish with grated lemon rind once glaze is set, if desired.

37 comments:

  1. Looks good!! I've been on a bit of a citrus kick lately! I put lemon zest in a blackberry crisp that I made on Friday, and it really brightened the berries up...saving this one. I love Cooking Light recipes!!

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  2. I'm glad it was so much fun! I love cheering for the long shots and I'm sure they love it too. There wouldn't be any new winners if those with next-to-terrible odds never came in first. :) That cake looks DELICIOUS! I hardly ever follow a recipe exactly either...I think I need to make this for a treat this week!

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  3. Wendy, I've been a bit lemon obsessed lately too! Luckily, my dad's tree has nearly an unlimited supply.

    Dionne, I know that long shot will come in one day! Funny how a lot of the kids were betting on the best odds at the beginning but shortly began betting the long shots with me.

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  4. I wish I had my bundt pan here at school!

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  5. I love lemon desserts! I will definitely try this!

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  6. This looks so moist and decadent. I was looking at a bundt pan the other day and decided against it...I may be buying it now. You've inspired me once again!

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  7. Kelsey, I just got a new one! Always fun to have a new gadget!!

    Enchanted, I just saw your Lemon Cake on your blog... great picture!

    Sommer, might have to pick one up! Thanks, you always make my day!!

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  8. There is nothing better than coming home to a cake! Especially one with a glaze that drips down the sides...it looks oh-so-good! I love lemon cakes, and I'm sure that this was a winner!

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  9. Lemon anything is just the BEST! The cake looks amazing and I bet it was moist and delicious. Looks like you had a fun day - that is what weekends were made for. Enjoy your holiday weekend!

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  10. Lemon obsession is always good and justified! I'm a lemon obsessed too and I don't hide it :) Lemon Glazed Cake is one of my favorite breakfast treat. I have to try the buttermilk addition to mine

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  11. Lemon + Cake = Heaven. I love lemon desserts and this cake with the drizzled icing sounds so good!

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  12. This looks sooooo absolutely scrumptious :-) I have a question, though, because I've been confused by this before. You write 3 cups AP flour and 13.5 ounces in parentheses. Which one did you use? Because as far as I've known about measurements (I could just be wrong, then), 1 cup is equal to 8oz. So, you can see my confusion as to why the oz isn't 24 :-(

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  13. Kristen, thanks!

    Monet, the drips down the side are my favorite! We had fun photographing those.

    Lisa, you said it perfectly!

    Sara, I'm with you about the obsession! Growing up, cake for breakfast was a definite no no. And I have to say for my kids before school, I wouldn't let them have this cake. But I did come home after dropping them off and enjoy a nice little piece with the paper and my coffee!! (don't tell them though!)

    Sprinkled, Heaven is correct!

    Hester, actually an 8 oz measure would be for liquid, such as water. Flour is measured at about 4.4 oz per cup. But I used the 3 cup measurement, so I wasn't that precise. I do bring out my scale when I need to be very exact though. Flour density can change based on the humidity in the air, etc, so the scale helps you be precise.
    Scrumptious is a great description!!

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  14. Yumm-a-lish. Lemon and cake; what could be bad about that??? And I love the ponies, too, Been a long time since I've been to the track, but when I was a teen, I wanted to be a jockey!! There's something special about those races that gets into your blood.

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  15. I went to Retama Race track this weekend and had a blast. Of course I didn't win but it was fun. A piece of that delicious looking cake would have made it better.

    Plan B

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  16. Your cake looks delicious! And aren't longshots always the most fun??

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  17. Thanks Pam! Love that word... yumm-a-lish! =) We really had a good time at the races, season is just about done, so we will have to wait till next year.

    Bee, glad you had fun! You must have bet about the same as I did! The kids had far better luck that the adults did!

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  18. Thanks Karen! I love the long shot! Thought it was fun that the kids started betting long shots too... one day it will come in!

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  19. This sure sounds good, but I've got to avoid cake for a while. Ate too much this weekend!

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  20. Yummm, that looks delicious, love citrus cakes. It's the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

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  21. Oh my goodness this looks absolutely positively amazing! Just wow! That definitely deserves a NomNoms!

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  22. I have never really been to a horse race before but it always sounded like fun! And of course if a cake like that was waiting for me afterward I would definitely be there!

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  23. What a fun outing, and a gorgeous cake, to boot! Any baked good with buttermilk is the way to go for me, and in the glaze as well...a double delight!

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  24. Congratulations on the number one spot on Food Buzz:) What a beautiful and delicious looking cake!

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  25. beautiful lemon cake....well deserved on the honors....before my great uncle died we used to go to the horse races...brings back memories...

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  26. Funny, I was drooling over this cake the other day, just didn't have a moment to tell you how lovely it looked! Congrats on Top 9 today! This is going on the must try list!

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  27. We were at the races on Saturday, always a fun time, and I even broke even! Though I don't have a lemon tree, I will find a way to make this cake, it looks wonderful!

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  28. What a beautiful photo and a story worthy of Dick Francis... Congrats on top 9!

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  29. Another Top 9- Way to go! I need to get you to give me some photography lessons. Your pictures are always amazing.

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  30. Wow, that cake looks so delicious with a tender crumb and yummy glaze.

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  31. This cake is perfect! I love lemon cakes. What a fun day. Look at your daughters expression. She sure had fun!

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  32. My husband was just peeking over my shoulder and said the cake looks good. That's a high compliment from him. I think it looks heavenly. I love lemon cakes....well, lemon anything.

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  33. This cake is VERY dry ;(

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    Replies
    1. Oh no!! I'm so sorry to hear. Next time (If there is a next time), perhaps a little less flour or a slightly shorter cooking time? Thanks for responding even though it wasn't to your liking. It's a favorite around here.

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  34. This cake is wonderful! Not dry AT ALL! I am getting ready to make it for the second time. The first time I used the buttermilk powder found in the baking aisle, which worked out great. This time I'm going to use the actual buttermilk from the dairy aisle. Unless you totally hate lemons, you'll really enjoy this!

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