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Glazed Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Bundt Cake
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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.
12 to 14
Servings
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
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293
grams (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour
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½
teaspoon baking soda
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½
teaspoon table salt
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½
teaspoon ground cardamom
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226
grams (16 tablespoons) salted butter, room temperature
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436
grams (2 cups) packed light brown sugar
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1
teaspoon vanilla extract
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1
teaspoon grated lemon zest
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3
large eggs, room temperature
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270
grams (1 cup) sour cream, room temperature
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42
grams (3 tablespoons) salted butter
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109
grams (½ cup) packed light brown sugar
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½
cup heavy cream
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01To 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.
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02In 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.
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03With 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.
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04Bake 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.
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05To 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.
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06Spoon 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.
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.