Lemon Bundt Cake

Soft, buttery and bursting with fresh lemon flavour, this Bundt cake is one of those bakes that feels simple but looks so special. The crumb is tender and light, the glaze adds the perfect zing, and that little buttercream daisy wreath on top? Just the cutest finishing touch.

Perfect for spring tables, afternoon tea, or when you just want something sunny and cheerful to slice into.

Ingredients

Cake Batter

• 420g caster sugar

• 1½ tbsp lemon zest

• 285g unsalted butter, room temperature

• 50ml oil

• 5 large eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla paste

• 100ml lemon juice

• 470g all-purpose flour

• 2½ tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 140ml milk

Lemon Glaze

• 225g icing sugar

• 45ml lemon juice

Buttercream (for Daisy Wreath Decoration – optional)

• 160g unsalted butter, room temperature

• 500g icing sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tsp vanilla paste

• 50ml milk

Food gel colouring:

• Yellow (for daisies)

• Green (for leaves)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (fan 160°C). Grease a Bundt tin well with butter and dust lightly with flour.

2. In a bowl, rub together the sugar and lemon zest until fragrant: this releases all those beautiful lemon oils. Add the butter and oil, then beat until light, fluffy and pale.

3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once fluffy, mix in vanilla paste and lemon juice.

4. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add half into the batter and mix until just combined. Pour in the milk and whisk gently until smooth. Add the remaining flour mixture and fold until no streaks remain, do not overmix. Pour in the batter, spread evenly and tap the tin to release air bubbles.

5. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Make the lemon glaze: Mix icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake and finish with extra lemon zest if not decorating with Daisy wreath.

Buttercream Daisy Wreath (Optional Decoration)

Make the buttercream: Beat butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in salt, vanilla and milk until smooth and pipeable.

Colour the buttercream (divide in 3 portions)

• Leave one portion uncoloured (daisy petals)

• Tint one yellow (for daisy centres)

• Tint one green (for leaves)

Pipe the wreath

• Pipe a dozen of mixed sized daisy flowers on a flower nail with parchment paper (use a 102 and 104 petal tip) Add yellow centres with (2 round tip) freeze the flowers.

• Wreath (2 or 3 round tip) pipe the wreath ontop of the bundt cake for the daisies to sit on.

• Once daisies are frozen this makes them really easy to place on the wreath.

• Fill gaps with green leaves using a leaf tip (352 tip).

Keep it slightly imperfect and organic for that soft, floral wreath look

Notes

• This batter fills a standard 10–12 cup Bundt tin perfectly

• Rubbing the zest into sugar makes a huge difference in flavour

• Don’t skip tapping the tin, helps avoid air pockets in the design