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Glazed sour cream brown sugar bundt cake v
Milk Street Bowtie Glazed Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

Glazed Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

By Rose Hattabaugh

12 to 14 Servings

1½ hours 30 minutes active, plus cooling

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Sour cream and brown sugar have an affinity for each other, and the combination gives this nostalgic cake, adapted from “The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook,” a plush, moist crumb and a rich, caramelly sweetness. A little ground cardamom adds a whisper of fragrance and flavor. Finished with a shiny butter and brown sugar glaze, the cake finds great company in a cup of coffee or tea. To ensure the cake doesn’t stick, pan prep is important, but the flutes, ridges and center tube of a Bundt pan make oiling and flouring a challenge. For that reason, we prefer to use nonstick baking spray, which is similar to regular cooking spray but includes flour—mist the pan and it’s ready to go. If you don’t have baking spray, mix 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1½ tablespoons flour, then brush the mixture onto the pan, making sure all interior surfaces are coated. Store leftover cake in an airtight container for up to three days.

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12 to 14

Servings

Tip

Don’t boil the glaze mixture, but also don’t cook it at a lazy simmer. It should simmer vigorously in order to reach the correct consistency for coating the cake, so adjust the heat as needed. Be sure to cool the glaze for 10 to 15 minutes before spooning it onto the cake; during this time it will thicken slightly.

1½ hours

30 minutes active, plus cooling

293 grams (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
226 grams (16 tablespoons) salted butter, room temperature
436 grams (2 cups) packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 large eggs, room temperature
270 grams (1 cup) sour cream, room temperature
42 grams (3 tablespoons) salted butter
109 grams (½ cup) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Ingredients
  • 293

    grams (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour

  • ½

    teaspoon baking soda

  • ½

    teaspoon table salt

  • ½

    teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 226

    grams (16 tablespoons) salted butter, room temperature

  • 436

    grams (2 cups) packed light brown sugar

  • 1

    teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1

    teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • 3

    large eggs, room temperature

  • 270

    grams (1 cup) sour cream, room temperature

For the glaze
  • 42

    grams (3 tablespoons) salted butter

  • 109

    grams (½ cup) packed light brown sugar

  • ½

    cup heavy cream

Directions
  1. 01
    To make the cake, heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with baking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cardamom; set aside.
  2. 02
    In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and lemon zest; continue to beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer running on medium-low, add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
  3. 03
    With the mixer running on low, add about one-third of the flour mixture followed by about half of the sour cream. Next, add about half of the remaining flour mixture, then the remaining sour cream, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix on low until just combined, about 1 minute. Fold the batter a few times with the spatula to ensure no pockets of flour remain. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and spread it in an even layer, then rap the pan against the counter to remove any air bubbles and smooth the top.
  4. 04
    Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
  5. 05
    To make the glaze, in a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and cream. Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring with a silicone spatula to dissolve the sugar, then cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer (but not a boil), until the spatula drawn through the mixture leaves a wide trail, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool until the glaze clings heavily to a spoon, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the cake to a platter.
  6. 06
    Spoon the glaze onto the cooled cake, letting it slowly drip down the sides. If the glaze is too thin and quickly runs down the cake, let it cool until thickened to the correct consistency; if it is too thick and simply sits in place, gently rewarm it. Let the glaze set for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Glazed Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

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Reviews
Sarah G.
December 14, 2022
Wonderful Cake
Everyone raved about this. I made it gluten-free with King Arthur's Measure for Measure, and took it out after 70 minutes. I do think it would fit better in a 10 cup bundt pan
Maggie W.
December 14, 2022
Sensational
Have made this cake twice for my volunteer group. Always gets rave reviews. The cake alone is fantastic, moist with a mere hint of cardomom. But do go to the trouble of making the glaze. It takes the cake to another level.
Maggie W.
August 16, 2022
Seriously, the best!
Generally, I find that cake is just the vehicle for an excellent glaze. Caramel is my favorite flavor and this glaze was amazing. However, I have to echo what Andrew S said in his review: the cake is excellent even on its own--moist, with a subtle, savory hint. I set my timer for 50 minutes and removed the cake from the oven after 45. My only substitution was to use a half-size Bundt pan. I took it in to my volunteer gig and everyone mentioned how good the cake was.
Emily B.
August 16, 2022
cupcakes?
I haven't made this yet, but my soon-to-be eight-year-old requested it for his birthday (He has a sophisticated palate,) and I'm wondering if there's any reason I couldn't make this into cupcakes also. Thoughts?
Andrew S.

Delicious and moist, with a subtle and sophisticated flavor from the cardamom and lemon zest. It was so good on its own that I didn't bother to make the glaze. Pay attention to the bake time and know that it may be done well ahead of the 60-65 minutes indicated. I noticed a toasty aroma after about 45 minutes and suspected that it was ready sooner than expected. That turned out to be the case. Had I left it much longer it would have been burned.

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