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Pucker Up to a Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake

Sara Yoo — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:15:30 PDT

After eating my way through the cupcake craze, I'm ready to put my muffin tins away and dust off the cake pans that have been sitting at the back of my cupboards.

Don't get me wrong: I love a tiny handheld treat. But there's something very satisfying slicing into - and serving - a full-sized cake.

This time of year, I want something that goes well with a cup of tea or a scoop of fresh berries, something that makes me feel like a real hostess when friends drop in. So when I came across a recipe for a glazed lemon buttermilk cake, I knew I had found the perfect match.

The cake is moist and tangy, thanks to the addition of vegetable oil and buttermilk, but it's the lemon glaze that gives it a real lemony kick. It's great as a dessert, but I enjoy it most as a midafternoon excuse to put off doing laundry for just a little bit longer! For the recipe, just keep reading.

Meet Baumkuchen, Germany's Glorious Cake on a Spit

Susannah Chen — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:12:11 PDT

I'm not much of a German food aficionado, but a few years ago, I read a New Yorker article about Germany's "king of cakes" that's been forged in my mind ever since. In the story, Mimi Sheraton embarks on a fervid quest for baumkuchen, a ringed, hollow cake that's made on a spit with layer after painstaking layer of batter, then iced with a coating of chocolate or sugar.

Source: Flickr User RuckSackKruemel

Her pursuit of the dying art led her to Lutz Café and Pastry Shop, which she proclaimed to be "the closest to Kreutzkamm's famous German bakery that I have found." When I was in Chicago last weekend, I made a trip to Lutz to see what the hype was all about.

Despite the busy street it's on, the Germanic bakery was quiet and unassuming, which allowed all of its baked goods to speak for themselves. Of course, I made a beeline for the baumkuchen. While Lutz makes its cakes on the premises, I wasn't able to see the rare spit machine in action. But I did admire the whole baumkuchen, over a foot tall, in their completed state; the sugar-glazed and chocolate-coated versions were treelike in stature.

Photo: Susannah Chen

But it was cutting into a cross-sectioned slice that truly revealed the cake's intricate construction: crepe-thin layer after crepe-thin layer formed delicate concentric circles, not unlike a California redwood. The composition factored into the texture of the baumkuchen, which was both springy and dense. Its flavor - mildly sweet vanilla with a almond aftertaste - called for a cup of coffee. As I left Chicago, I prepared to mourn my new breakfast ritual - that is, until I learned that Lutz ships across America, even overnight.

Have you ever tried baumkuchen?

For Your Recipe Box: The Perfect Yellow Cake

Camilla Salem — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:30:48 PDT

I like to keep a few well-loved recipes in my repertoire to make time and time again, and birthday cake is something that I find myself happily making several times a year. I typically turn to a very rich chocolate cake from Ina Garten or a simple vanilla cake from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook. I've noticed, however, that yellow cake is a favorite of many, but until now I'd never thought to make it from scratch.

Most recipes for yellow cake use buttermilk, which differentiates it from a standard vanilla cake. I noticed a particularly mouthwatering photo floating around on Pinterest months ago that I couldn't get out of my head. Rather than buttermilk, this specific recipe calls for butter flavoring, which you can find at cake supply stores or online.

This cake comes together easily. I used two seven-inch cake pans and had a little bit of leftover batter for a few cupcakes. The simple vanilla buttercream frosting is delicious and rich, but I'd like to experiment with some more exciting flavors in the future. It tasted rich, buttery, and slightly sinful. The cake itself was moist and dense, which I appreciated, and one piece was more than enough to keep me satisfied.

For the recipe, keep reading!

11 Decorative Homemade Halloween Cake Ideas

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:19:14 PDT

Show off your cake decorating skills by making a cute, homemade Halloween cake or cupcakes. Spiders, Frankenstein, and creepy ghosts are just a few Halloween themes you can easily translate to your baked goods. Cakes and cupcakes make a fun and exciting centerpiece to any party, so get your mixer and piping bag out and ready. We've broken it down by hardest to easiest, so you can work with your skill and comfort level.

Burning Question: How Did Pound Cake Get Its Name?

Susannah Chen — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:24:47 PDT

I love pound cake, and ever since I've been old enough to eat it, I've wondered: where did it get that name?

In my childhood I speculated if it weighed a pound, or whether it would cause me to put on a pound or two. But that's actually not where the name comes from. Pound cake, which originated in Europe in the first half of the 18th century, initially weighed four pounds. That's because it called for a pound of each of four ingredients - flour, butter, eggs, and sugar - hence the name.

The recipe produced something far larger than what a modern-day family would consume - an amount over twice the volume of most loaf pans. Traditional recipes, therefore, preserve the simple ratio, but serve a much smaller quantity than the original recipe; in contemporary times, most have modified the recipe for a lighter, richer dessert with a prominent butter flavor. In France, where some argue the pound cake originated, the name of the original cake has stuck as well. There, it's called quatre-quarts, or "four quarts," a quart referring to a pound.

Got a burning question? Join the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to post the most pressing questions about the culinary world.

Source: Flickr User asha susan

Don't Bake? You've Got to Make This Cake!

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:33:58 PDT

OK, listen up readers: this recipe is for everyone who hates to bake. It's the world's easiest cake recipe and it requires no oven time and only five ingredients. What kind of cake could that be? It's a classic icebox cake! If you're not familiar with icebox cakes, they are made by layering chocolate wafer cookies with whipped cream. As the mixture sits overnight in the refrigerator, the wafers absorb some of the whipped cream, and the next day the whole thing can be sliced and served like a normal cake. I love icebox cakes because they taste like a giant Oreo cookie! This dish would be an excellent finish to a Labor Day barbecue, so read more to get the uncomplicated recipe.

Baby Cakes: Second Birthday Cake Ideas and Inspiration

Angelica Marden — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 01:10:00 PDT

There's nothing terrible about two! At least not on toddler's second birthday. Your budding eater may not smash his face in his second birthday cake the way he did on his first birthday, but chances are he'll still get that sticky icing everywhere. Regardless of the mess, 730 days on this planet calls for a decadent slice of sugary goodness. If you're planning a second birthday party or just want some mouth-watering inspiration for future festivities, check out these copycat-worthy cakes and trends.

Baby Cakes: First Birthday Cake Ideas and Inspiration

Angelica Marden — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:00:51 PDT

What's the best way to celebrate baby's first 365 days, or 8,766 moments on earth? Why a giant birthday cake, of course! Whether your one year old has tried the sweet stuff before or tastes the confection for the first time on her first birthday, you can expect whatever you serve will be enjoyed and rubbed all over the place. In fact, mini smash cakes, which are made to be smeared and drooled all over a baby face for the sake of a giggle and cheeky photo, have become quite trendy. If you're planning a first-year fete or just want some mouth-watering inspiration for future festivities, savor these copycat-worthy cakes and trends.

Keep Cool This Summer: 9 No-Bake Desserts

Michele Foley — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:11:56 PDT

The last thing I want to do on a hot Summer day is bake - cranking on the oven when it's already hot out sounds so unappealing. That's where no-bake desserts come in; they easily satisfy a sweet tooth, no oven required. And, because there's no baking involved, they usually take minutes to make and omit the need for overly processed ingredients. Whether you follow a raw, vegan, or gluten-free diet, one of these desserts will surely satisfy. And many of these treats are healthy to boot!

Fit Community: Decadent and Dressed Up Gluten Free Cake

Fit Community — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:48:39 PDT

This post was shared by FitSugar community member Angelica in our Healthy Recipe Group.

Gluten free goodies don't have to be boring! We gussied up a Sof'ella Gourmet Gluten Free Chocolate Cake mix with a whip cream and strawberry filling and chocolate ganache frosting and dressed it with white chocolate shavings and organic raspberries. The decadent you-probably-want-to-run-tomorrow delight was a hit with the gluten free birthday girl, and the rest of the guests. I've tried a few gluten free mixes and this one, which is made with rice flour, is my favorite so far. It has an unusual cake smell (think toasted rice), but it's light, moist and tastes like regular cake.

Got a great tip or recipe? Share it in our Healthy Recipe Group.