In the Kitchen with Nic: Old Fashioned Lemonade Bundt Cake

 

Well it might not be the exact recipe I was searching for, but it's the closest I could come. 

Apparently the other recipe doesn't exist anywhere in any Betty Crocker cookbook, old or new, so it was either a family recipe, thrown together with ingredients on hand (those are the best!  But not always written down ), or it was in a magazine or on recipe cards.  

Either way, here is what I've come up with, pieced together form other recipes and clues from the cake mentioned in the nostalgic recipes video. 

I'll be making it this weekend! 

Happy Baking!

Til next time, remember... Some recipes aren't just recipes. They're family history, written in cups, teaspoons, and a pinch of love.

OLD-FASHIONED

LEMONADE BUNDT CAKE

A White Butter Cake Soaked in Fresh Lemon Syrup

———  ✦  ———

This cake brings the bright, tart flavor of summer lemonade into a tender white butter cake. The warm lemon syrup soaks deep into the crumb, and a thin crackled glaze finishes it—just as they made it in the old days, long before box mixes.

THE CAKE

2¼ cups  cake flour (or sifted all-purpose flour)

1½ cups  granulated sugar

3½ teaspoons  baking powder

1 teaspoon  salt

½ cup  (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup  whole milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

4  large egg whites, at room temperature

LEMON SOAKING SYRUP

¾ cup  granulated sugar

½ cup  fresh lemon juice (from 3–4 lemons)

SIMPLE LEMON GLAZE

1½ cups  powdered sugar, sifted

3–4 tablespoons  fresh lemon juice

Optional:  1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

METHOD

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan (or use a baking spray that contains flour). Be generous in the crevices so the cake releases cleanly.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

3.  Add the softened butter, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and creamy.

4.  In a clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter in two additions, taking care not to deflate them. The batter will be light and airy.

5.  Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a long wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The top should be lightly golden.

6.  Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup: combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not boil hard. Remove from heat.

7.  Carefully invert the warm cake onto a serving plate or cooling rack. While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the top and down into the ridges with a thin skewer or fork. Slowly spoon or brush the warm lemon syrup over the cake, letting it soak in thoroughly. Allow the cake to rest 20–30 minutes so the syrup can penetrate.

8.  For the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth and pourable (add a little more juice or sugar to reach a good consistency). Drizzle the glaze generously over the cake so it runs down the ridges in thin streams. Let the glaze dry until it forms a delicate, crackled shell.

Note from the kitchen

This cake was made to stand up to July heat. The lemon syrup keeps it moist for days, and the thin glaze does not melt the way buttercream would at a picnic. Bake it the night before, glaze it in the morning, and it will still taste bright and lively by afternoon.

 

—  Enjoy with a cold glass of real lemonade  —