Desserts

Vanilla Almond Bundt Cake

I tested three versions of this bundt cake before finally nailing it. I like to think of it as a coffee cake, mostly because I’ve enjoyed more than a few slices alongside my morning espresso. Technically, coffee cake refers to a tender-crumbed cake; often flavored with cinnamon. While a bundt cake simply takes its shape from the pan. But no matter how you slice it (see what I did there?), I love a cake that’s perfectly moist. This recipe delivers just that: a soft, tender cake with the perfect balance of vanilla, almond, and a hint of lemon zest.

Vanilla and almond are such a classic pairing and you can’t mess with a classic. You have the warm and comforting taste of vanilla and the nutty aroma/flavor of almond which makes the perfect bundt cake in my opinion. Add on some vanilla icing, sliced almonds and just a hint of fresh lemon zest and…wow.

Here’s an idea I did with some leftover batter. I made a mini-cake. You can use this bundt cake recipe to make mini-cakes as well if you’re having a dinner party.

And if you’re wondering if the French enjoy bundt cake as much as we do, the answer is yes. However they call it a kouglof and it’s made with yeast. One of their variations of kouglof often contains vanilla and lemon zest so this recipe is the perfect marriage of the two cultures.

If you’re interested in the same type of bundt pan I use, you can find it here. It’s called the Pirouette. Link: https://www.nordicware.com/products/pirouette-bundt-pan/. Nordicware also has a kouglof-shaped pan if you want to get your French baking on.

Pirouette Bundt Cake pan from Nordicware. — If you want an elevated look for any bundt cake you make, can’t go wrong with this option from Nordicware. It’s their Pirouette pan.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! If you want to keep the bundt cake moist, as soon as you frost it, put it in a cake stand. Cover it once it’s cooled/frosted. It will help lock in the moisture. Enjoy!

Cake Ingredients:

3 cups of cake flour
2 cups of granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter – room temp
1 cup whole milk (can sub for almond milk)
8 oz cream cheese – room temp
6 large eggs – room temp
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vanilla extract
½ tbsp almond extract
1 ½ tsp kosher salt

Icing Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp milk. Make sure it’s the consistency you want. I like to use 3 and let it sit for a few minutes so it’s more manageable to pour/decorate.
½ tsp vanilla extract
Lemon zest (from half a lemon)

Top with sliced almonds and a light sprinkle of lemon zest. Voila!

Directions

Grab a large bowl and mix the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with paddle attachment until smooth. Then add sugar. Beat for 5 minutes on medium until light and airy.
Add 4 eggs first, beat until fully mixed. Add oil, mix. Add 1/2 of flour mixture. Mix. Add 2 eggs, mix. Then add final flour mixture, mix.
Add vanilla, almond, milk. Beat on low until everything is mixed in well.
Spray bundt pan with non-stick spray, fill bundt pan a little more than ¾ full. Tap the sides to release any bubbles.
Bake on 350 for 50 min – 1 hr.
Let cool for 15 minutes out of the oven, then flip over on wire rack to continue cooling.
Only ice the cake once it’s cool to touch.

For the icing, mix the sugar, milk, vanilla and zest together in a mixing bowl. Let sit for a minute or two so it thickens, then either drizzle with a spoon or put in a piping back. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a Ziploc. Scoop into a Ziploc bag, then cut one of the corners just barely. This will help you control the icing as you decorate the peaks of the bundt cake. Top with almonds, lemon zest and enjoy!