Citrus Sunshine

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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Watching delicate snowflakes beginning to falling just beyond the window’s thin pane of glass on yet another cold, windy, and gloomy day, it feels as though winter has this little town by a choke hold and is refusing to let go. Summer is more like an implausible concept than a concrete season at this point, as the only thing that seems possible is yet another snowfall, or devastatingly low temperatures that send us all scurrying back inside like rats. When the sun barely manages to peek out from behind that thick blanket of unforgiving clouds, it’s hard to summon any enthusiasm for the day ahead, especially if it involves going outside at all. There is, however, one bright spot in this otherwise depressing time of year.

Citrus.

The saving grace of a bitterly cold winter are those vibrant yellows, oranges, and greens that line the grocery store shelves. Their tart, astringent flavor wakes up dormant taste buds and invigorates the spirit, bringing new life to drab dishes.

One of the most sought-after fruits is the Meyer lemon.

Sweeter than a plain old lemon, the flavor is practically begging to be infused into just about any baked good you can think of. In fact, many bakers like myself love them so much, that the prospect of growing one’s own Meyer lemon tree is extremely tempting. Just imagine, being able to pluck one of the golden ovals, plump with sour juice, straight from a nearby branch at will… Oh, the innumerable lemon delights that would create!

While I may not have my own tree yet, I’ve been going through those wonderful Meyer lemons like they’re going out of style, fighting hard to keep the winter blahs at bay. One of the most noteworthy creations was this tender lemon bundt cake, adorned with a slathering of cashew icing on top.

Sweetened entirely with agave, this bundt takes on a dark amber hue despite its pale components, as agave browns much more quickly than standard sugar. As if tanned by the sun, I can only hope that it’s but a small sign that perhaps the clouds really could recede in no time at all, with brighter, warmer days just beyond the horizon.

Yield: Makes 10 - 12 Servings

Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake

Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake

Sweetened with agave and topped by rich cashew icing, each slice of this bright, tangy Meyer lemon cake tastes like an invigorating bite of sunshine.

Ingredients

Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake:

  • 1 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk
  • Zest of 1 Meyer Lemon
  • 1/2 Cup Freshly Squeezed Meyer Lemon Juice
  • 1 1/4 Cups Light Agave Nectar
  • 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
  • 3 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Flax Seeds

Cashew Icing:

  • 1 1/2 Cups Roasted, Unsalted Cashew Pieces
  • 1/3 Cup Light Agave Nectar
  • 1/3 Cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • Pinch Salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven 350 degrees and lightly grease and flour a 12-cup capacity bundt pan.
  2. First combine the non-dairy milk, zest, and juice, and allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes. Add in the agave nectar and oil, and mix well.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Grind the flax seeds down into a fine meal, and incorporate them as well, so that the dry goods are all evenly distributed.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, and using a wide spatula, mix thoroughly with as few strokes as possible, being careful not to over-mix.
  5. Once you achieve a smooth batter, pour it into your prepared bundt pan, and smooth down the top evenly.
  6. Bake for approximately one hour, until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center (of the cake, not the pan; that would just be silly) comes out clean. Let cool completely before turning the cake out of the pan.
  7. To prepare the icing, simply place all of the ingredients in your food processor, blender, or VitaMix, and let it blend until completely smooth. Be patient, as it could take up to five minutes. Pass the icing through a fine sieve if you’re not confident that it’s entirely lump-free.
  8. Drizzle over your cake as desired, and enjoy while thinking of sunny days.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 443Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 311mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 2gSugar: 25gProtein: 8g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Cakes & Cupcakes

 

75 thoughts on “Citrus Sunshine”

  1. First of all, this cake sounds absolutely amazing! But that icing, oh man, that icing. It sounds so delicious–the perfect combination of flavors. I think I might be able to eat that icing by the spoonful (although I will absolutely take it on top of that fabulous cake)!

  2. OMG! I have so many lemons from my parents that would be perfect in this. Too bad I’m trying to cut back on the sugar for a while. Oh well, I will just stare at the pictures in happiness for now. :3

  7. ::Swoon:: lemon baked goods! I love the contrast of the dark brown exterior and the creamy light interior. That cashew icing sounds amazing, although for this cake I would definitely go with a lemon glaze – because I’m a lemon fiend.

  11. Oh! I have a lemon tree (it’s inside nearly year-round). I LOVE it. It’s not Meyer, but fresh lemons are still more glorious than anything I’ve ever purchased at the grocery store. I have 6 enormous ones that will be ripe w/in a few days (I’ve already had/given away 2 this month). Guess what I’ll be making with them?? ;-) Thanks for another amazing recipe!

  19. Mmmm, I love Meyer lemons, here in Israel we had them for a while until end of last year, and I will have to wait until next winter to see them again. Your cake looks so yummy, wish I had some Meyr lemons just now….

  22. I need to stop looking at your website before lunch. People think I am a zombie because all they here is mmmmmm goooood…

  24. this looks wonderful! they never have meyer lemons in the stores here, unfortunately. how would this work in a regular 9inch round cake pan? i have no bundts!

  26. Wow, this looks amazing! I love how it’s so natural and down t earth yet still decadent with a sunny lemon twist running through it! I also love the plant-based natural but still sweet and mouthwatering frosting, I’ll definately try that one if I get a chance!
    P.S. Do you make most frostings (not glaze) margerine and confectoner’s sugar based? Becaue I know this ends in lovely results but I’m wondering if there’s anything else to incoorporate, like cashews instead of EB for example? Thanks! :)

  27. Good thing I’m heading to the US in 2 weeks, that way I can FINALLY taste those Meyer lemons I see everybody blogging about.
    Your bundt cake looks delicious!

  29. This looks wonderful, and I’m so excited to try it out. I’ve never used cashews in this way, but it sounds really tasty. Thanks for the recipe!

  34. I’ve been doing quite a bit of baking with agave lately. Seems to work out wonderfully. This cake looks delicious.

    P.S. I caved and bought a Meyer Lemon tree last spring… but it’s only about a foot tall at the moment. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t splurge and get the larger sized, more mature tree!

  38. I just got a bag of meyer lemons and have had no clue what to do with them.. thanks for the great recipe! It looks absolutely mouthwatering!

  39. Oh yum!

    We have two Meyer lemon trees in our backyard and they have a ridiculous amount of fruit still on them… I’ve been running out of things to use them for. This looks perfect though, and my mom’s birthday is this weekend.

    I can’t wait to try this recipe out, thanks so much Hannah!

  41. That looks fabulous! Especially the cashew glaze!

    Living in Fl I’m hoping my Meyer lemon tree dreams turn to reality this spring!
    ~ingrid

  52. Lemons and avocados are keeping me sane until I can start focusing on local foods again. This time of year always goes too slowly. I just made a lemon cake this week with coconut yogurt and now I really wish I had seen the cashew frosting to use on it. The cake and icing sound perfect together.

  56. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I’m so glad you posted a lemon cake. I’ve tried a few other recipes and for some reason they just never work out. The taste is never right. I love lemon cake and mother-in-law is always giving me meyer lemons. I can’t wait to try this. Oh it’s really pretty too!

  60. I made this tonight! I used a tube pan instead of a bundt pan and subbed sugar for agave, so mine was not nearly as gorgeous as yours, but it was VERY tasty!!! Will definitely be using this recipe at family functions in the future.

  70. I made this cake yesterday and it was soooo yummy! The icing is as good as it sounds. I put grated lemon meyer peel on the icing to keep the “theme”. I also substituted half of the flour with white whole wheat flour, and it worked well. Thank you for a great recipe!

  72. I grabbed a bag of meyer lemons on a whim at the store today and was Googling for recipes when I found this gem! Thanks for a great looking recipe Hannah. I will be making this tomorrow.

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