A bundt cake is baked in a particular type of cake pan called a bundt pan, the signature fluted round pan with a hole in the middle. Due to their decorative shape, they need very little adornment. In this recipe, we’ve dressed it up slightly with an orange syrup, and included recipes for alternate flavour variations such as strawberry and lemon and rosemary.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Liberally grease a 24cm (3-litre/12-cup) bundt pan with a pastry brush, ensuring you coat all the crevices with extra melted butter. Dust the pan with the extra flour; turn pan to coat evenly. Shake out excess flour.
Beat the softened butter, sugar, vanilla and citrus rinds with an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add lemon juice and combined sifted flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt. Beat on low speed until just combined. Spread mixture into pan.
Bake cake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave cake in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack placed over a tray to cool.
For citrus syrup, combine the sugar, lemon and orange juices and ½ cup (125ml) water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes or until syrup is reduced and thickened slightly.
Pour hot syrup over cooled cake. Suitable to freeze.
This cake is best made on the day of serving but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Vary the flavour of the cake by swapping the orange syrup for one of the options below.
Test Kitchen tip
How to make different flavoured syrups
Vary this bundt cake recipe with one of these syrups.
How to make strawberry, cinnamon & bay syrup
Place 1 cup (220g) caster sugar, ½ cup (125ml) water, ½ cup (100g) halved strawberries, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 bay leaf in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low-medium; simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced. Strain through a fine sieve; discard solids (makes ¾ cup).
How to make lemon & rosemary syrup
Place 1 cup (220g) caster sugar, ¾ cup (180ml) water, 4 rosemary sprigs and thinly peeled rind and juice of 1 lemon in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low-medium; simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced (makes 1 cup).
How to make mandarin, honey & thyme syrup
Place ½ cup (175g) honey, ¾ cup (180ml) mandarin juice, ½ cup (125ml) water and 2 sprigs thyme in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low-medium; simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced (makes 1 cup).
How to make Amaretto syrup
Place 1 cup (220g) firmly packed brown sugar, ¾ cup (180ml) water, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste and ⅓ cup (80ml) Amaretto in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low-medium; simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced (makes 1 cup).
