Buttermilk Bundt Cakes

Here we offer three garnishing options for these adorable, delicious cakes: Simply dust with powdered sugar, pipe a bit of glaze over the top, or completely dunk the cakes for a heavier coating. Make the cakes up to two weeks ahead. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze, omitting any garnish. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then dust or glaze. Look for mini Bundt pans at kitchen emporiums or big box stores. Be sure to coat the cups of the mini Bundt pan well with baking spray with flour added. Cakes will stick if you use regular cooking spray. Although the mini cakes are really cute, you can bake one large cake, if you prefer. It'll just need to bake longer, about 45 minutes total.

Ingredients: 

• Baking spray with flour (such as Baker's Joy)
• 13.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind 
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. 2. Coat 18 mini Bundt cups with baking spray.
3. 3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
4. 4. Place granulated sugar and 12 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and rind. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
5. 5. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 5 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans.
6. 6. Dust tops of cakes with powdered sugar.
7. Variation 1: Cranberry-Orange Bundt Cakes
8. Prepare Buttermilk Bundt Cakes batter, reducing vanilla to 1 teaspoon, omitting lemon rind, and ­decreasing buttermilk to 3/4 cup. Combine 1 cup sweetened, dried cranberries and 1/2 cup fresh orange juice in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute; let stand 10 minutes. Fold cranberry mixture into batter. Omit 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 2 teaspoons grated orange rind, stirring until smooth. Dip tops of cooled cakes in glaze; let stand until set. CALORIES 331; FAT 9.4g (sat 5.6g); SODIUM 262mg
9. Dip & Swirl: For a glaze that completely covers the cakes, dip the tops into glaze and swirl them around a bit to make sure the glaze coats and sticks.
10. Variation 2: Hummingbird Bundt Cakes with Bourbon Glaze
11. Prepare Buttermilk Bundt Cakes, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to flour mixture. Decrease vanilla to 1 teaspoon, and omit lemon rind. Fold 1 cup chopped ripe banana, 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, and 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple into batter. Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cakes. CALORIES 291; FAT 10.9g (sat 5.4g); SODIUM 269mg
12. Doubling Up: You'll only need a touch of the bourbon glaze, but for sugar hounds, you can double the glaze and garnish with more.

Deb Wise, Cooking Light
DECEMBER 2011