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Giada's Lemon Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze and Candied Lemon


Ahh, the joys of baking.  It's my therapy.  :)

Today, I'm bringing you a gorgeous, mouth-watering concoction that you will love.  This beautiful, lemon-flavored bundt cake is smothered in a delectable chocolate glaze that falls over the edges and wraps the entire cake in an oozy, goozy hug.  The cake itself is studded with little bits of candied lemons that give it both a satisfying and surprising twist with each bite.

This cake is so unexpected, thanks to the lemon.  Yet, somehow, the flavors are perfect together.  The addition of buttermilk in the cake batter helps to keep it moist and lends a wonderful texture.  I love baking with buttermilk and substitute it into all kinds of recipes whenever I can.  

Although the recipe might seem a little long, I promise it's not complicated.  It would be an ideal baking session for a lazy weekend afternoon, when you can take your time and enjoy the process.  A few tips to keep in mind would be to not cut the lemon slices too thin, and don't cook them longer than the recipe calls for. 

This cake was a big hit around our house, and I'll definitely be making this little gem again.

Bon Appetit, my friends!  :)



Lemon Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze and Candied Lemon
Adapted from:  Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:
Candied Lemon:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

Cake:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:
For the candied lemon: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the lemon slices and simmer until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Finely chop the candied lemon slices. Set aside.

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a nonstick Bundt pan with vegetable spray.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. On low speed, slowly add the buttermilk and the vanilla. Stop the mixer, add the lemon zest and juice, and mix to incorporate. With the mixer on low, add the flour, one cup at a time, until combined. Finally, add the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Raise to medium speed and mix for 1 minute, until the batter is fluffy and smooth. Mix in the chopped candied lemons. With a spatula or wooden spoon, transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth out the top. Set the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden and a cake tester comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before turning it out onto a plate.

For the glaze: Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once bubbles have formed around the edges of the cream, pour it over the chocolate. Whisk the cream and chocolate together until smooth. Pour the glaze over the Bundt cake, using a spatula or spoon to push the glaze down the sides and center of the cake.


Candied Lemon Slices

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Comments

Catherine said…
Sounds delicious and looks beautiful. Blessings dear. Catherine
Hi I like your blog and wanted to invite you to join www.recipebyday.com a directory of recipes where you just have to register your blog and appear links to your recipes for you to increase your visits. Regards and Thanks.
Anonymous said…
Ignore Rosa Mira and her link to www.recipebyday.com! Its not what you think!!!

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