While the official start to summer is not until June 20, summer in my home is already in full swing. This time is a welcomed respite from the flurry of the end-of-school-year activities that dominated the months of April and May.
Thus far, we have enjoyed other opportunities to connect with friends and family and will continue to do so over the coming months. With each invite to relax at the lake, enjoy a picnic in the park or attend a poolside party, my mind focuses on the menu.
Unglazed Berry Bundt Cake
Such was the case recently, when a group of friends attended a Shakespeare in the Park event.
My contribution to the picnic was one of my favorite summer desserts: a Bundt cake with summer berries. The cake is light and moist and allows the sweet, seasonal berries to shine.
I have baked some version of this cake several times over the years, and on each occasion, a divide among those who taste it arrives.
Some love the lemon glaze, others prefer the cake without. Our park picnic group was no different, which inevitably led to a Shakespearean-themed debate. To glaze or not to glaze: that is the question.
Summer Berry Bundt Cake
Summer Berry Bundt Cake
Recipe by Olivia Regard
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 1/2 cups mixed berries
Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, very, very soft
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Generously grease a Bundt pan with butter and a dusting of flour or nonstick spray. Place the prepared bundt pan in the refrigerator or freezer while you prepare the cake batter to set the coating and avoid the cake sticking to the pan.
3. Reserve 2 tablespoons of flour. Whisk together remaining flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Add vanilla and mix to combine.
6. Incorporate dry ingredients and buttermilk into the butter-egg batter by adding 1/3 dry ingredients to the batter and beat until combined. Add 1/2 the buttermilk, mix to combine. Continue incorporating the flour mixture and remaining buttermilk by alternating the two and ending with the final 1/3 of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time to fully incorporate the dry and wet ingredients. Do not overmix.
7. In the bowl that contained the dry ingredients, toss the berries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.
8. Gently fold the berries into the cake batter. The batter will be thick.
9. Spread the cake batter into the bundt pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the cake halfway through baking to ensure it browns evenly. The cake is done when a tester (toothpick or skewer) comes out clean.
10. Cool cake on a wire rack for 30 minutes or more before inverting it onto a serving platter.
11. For the glaze: Mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth. If you prefer a thinner glaze add more juice or a splash of cool water. Drizzle over the top of the cake.