MEYER LEMON BUNDT CAKE

Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake

Makes 12 to 16 servings

You’ll need a Bundt pan with a capacity of 10 cups. The method of coating the pan used in this recipe should ensure a successful extraction, but even if it doesn’t and the cake comes out in less than one complete piece, you can use it to make a trifle.

MAKE AHEAD: The cake can be stored under cover at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For the filling:

½ cup Meyer Lemon Curd (see related recipe)

½ cup cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature

For the cake:

1 tablespoon solid shortening

3 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons finely grated zest and ¼ cup juice from 2 Meyer lemons

2 cups regular or low-fat buttermilk

For the glaze:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice

1. For the filling: Whisk together the Meyer Lemon Curd and cream cheese until smooth, with no white streaks.
2. For the cake: Combine the shortening and 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl, to create a paste. Use your fingers or a paper towel to generously coat the inside of the Bundt pan with the paste, systematically working it into each crevice. Aim to evenly cover all the surfaces, including the center tube and the uppermost edges, because the baked cake will fill the entire pan. Get rid of any excess paste.
3. Whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Place the cool butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer; beat on low speed until the butter is smooth, waxy and shiny on the sides of the bowl. Add the granulated sugar; increase the speed to medium and beat until well incorporated. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, spooning in 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture between the second and third eggs; this will help to reduce lumps in the batter. Stop to scrape down the bowl, then add the zest and juice, beating on low speed.
5. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, beating on low speed. Add 1 cup of the buttermilk and beat on low speed until well incorporated. Stop to scrape the bowl and beaters. Add the remaining flour and buttermilk, alternately, in three additions, beating on low speed after each one. Once the batter is almost smooth, stop the mixer, remove its bowl, scrape the paddle/beaters and bowl and stir the batter gently to combine all the ingredients.
6. Spoon half the batter into the Bundt pan. Spoon the Meyer Lemon Curd mixture over the batter, then top with the remaining cake batter, making sure to cover the filling completely. Gently rap the pan on the counter to deflate any air bubbles, then place the pan in the cold oven (middle rack). Turn on the oven to 300 degrees; bake for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 325 degrees and bake another 20 minutes. Finally, increase the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes, until the cake is just pulling away from the edges of the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack, in the pan and without inverting, for 1 hour.
7. Set a rack over a baking sheet. Invert the cooled cake pan over the rack and tap on the top of the pan. Take a deep breath and lift straight up. If some parts of the cake remain in the pan, see if a toothpick will help pry them loose, then reconstruct the cake without shame.
8. For the glaze: Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a bowl, until very smooth. As needed, use more lemon juice, but keep the consistency thick and opaque. Spoon this glaze over the cake, coating the entire surface and letting it flow down the sides to fill all the nooks and crevices. The glaze helps keep the cake both moist and fresh, so be generous and use all of it. Let the glaze set, about 20 minutes, then use two wide spatulas or a cake lifter to transfer the cake to platter or cake stand.

— Nutrition per serving (based on 16): 370 calories, 6 g protein, 55 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 190 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 35 g sugar

— From columnist and cookbook author Cathy Barrow

Meyer Lemon Curd

Makes 12 servings (1 ½ cups)

In addition to using some of this as filling for Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake (see related recipe), spoon it over ice cream or yogurt or a pavlova, or spread it between cake layers. For best results, use an instant-read thermometer to monitor its temperature in the pot.

MAKE AHEAD: The curd needs to be refrigerated for at least 8 hours before serving, and up to 2 weeks. It can be frozen for up to 6 months.

2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks

½ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons finely grated zest and ⅓ cup juice from 2 Meyer lemons

Small pinch kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and heat over medium heat until barely bubbling.
2. Combine the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl that fits over the opening of the pot without touching the water below. Place over the pot and whisk constantly so the mixture thickens, becomes pale and forms a ribbon when a whisk is pulled out of it, registering 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bowl from the heat.
3. Stir in the zest, juice and salt. The custard will be thin, so return the bowl to its berth over the water in the pot (on medium heat) and continue to stir as the mixture thickens. At 170 degrees, the custard will be as thick as chocolate sauce, and when you run a finger across the back of a coated spoon, it should leave a trail. For a velvety texture, press the custard through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any flecks of zest or egg. Whisk in the butter one small cube at a time, to form a smooth and glossy curd.
4. Cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, during which time it will thicken and its lemony flavor will develop.