Texas weather is so crazy. About 2 weeks ago we got some snow, last weekend it was nice and warmer (I thought Springtime is here!) but no, now we are freezing again, and I just went to my closet to get my fuzzy socks and a thick jacket while I drink my morning latte. I wish I posted this recipe during a nice sunny day because berries are spring/summer time food (not for me though, I eat berries almost every day lol) but this recipe cannot wait any longer because it is super delicious and pretty.
There are many Bundt cake pans out there but today I used Nordic Ware Crown Bundt Pan, it is super pretty, and the cake came out beautiful, nothing stuck or broke. Of course, you can use any Bundt pan, just make sure it is a 10 cup one.
This cake has the perfect crumb. It has a light lemon flavor (from lemon zest), sweetness from the vanilla extract and fruity flavor from all the berries. I used fresh blueberries and raspberries. You can use any other berry that you prefer, just make sure you buy fresh ones and not frozen. I drizzled a light lemon icing made with fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar.
Let’s start with the recipe and if you would like to watch how I made this awesome treat, visit me on Instagram @pastry_tales
Yield one 10-cup bundt cake pan
Ingredients
For the cake
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (to coat the berries)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar
zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 milk at room temperature. You can use any kind of milk you prefer. I used 2% lactose-free
3 cups of mixed fresh berries. I used blueberries and raspberries, but you can also use blackberries or chopped strawberries
For the icing
juice of one or two lemons, it will depend how thick you want your icing to be
2 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
water, just if you need it
Directions
Preparing the Bundt cake pan
When you make a Bundt, you want to make sure that it releases from the pan fast and easy without leaving any chunks of cake sticked to the pan. This is why you ALWAYS have to butter and flour your pan sides and bottom. Use a kitchen brush and using softened butter, grease every corner of the pan, do not miss any spot. Finally, dust your pan with some flour but get rid of any excess. Set aside.
For the cake batter
1.- Preheat oven to 350 F.
2.- In a small bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3.- In another bowl and using an electric mixer, beat your butter for about 2 minutes until it gets a pale color. Then, add sugar and lemon zest, and mix in medium-high speed for about 3-4 minutes or until it looks fluffy.
4.- With your mixer in low speed, add the eggs one by one beating well after each addition. Then, add vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds.
5.- Now you add 1/3 of your dry ingredients and mix in low speed. Add half of your milk. Add another third of the dry ingredients, always keep mixing. Add the other half of the milk, mix. Finally, the last third of the dry ingredients. Stop and using a spatula scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl to be sure everything is well combined.
6.-In a small bowl mix your berries with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of flour. Add these berries to your cake batter and fold them in very carefully using a spatula. The batter will look thick, but this is totally normal for a Bundt cake.
7.- Now spread the cake batter into your prepared pan. I use a big spoon for this, so I make sure everything is even and the berries are well distributed. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. My oven baked it around 57 minutes.
8.- Take the pan out of the oven and place it on a rack to cool JUST FOR 30 MINUTES because we will be inverting it over the cake platter while it is still hot. This is a trick for Bundt cake pans, otherwise it can stick to the pan.
9.- After 30 minutes, turn it over a cake platter and let it cool completely.
For the lemon icing
1.- In a bowl mix powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add the lemon juice little by little until you get the right consistency. It should not be super thick or thin. I used about 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and a tiny bit of water. Mix it really well.
2.- Pour this icing into a cup and drizzle all over your cooled cake.
3.- Wait for 30 minutes for the icing to set and then cut.
Enjoy!
