Citrus Champagne Bundt Cake

This bright, bubbly cake is just the thing we need to break through the dreary winter months after the holidays. Bursting with citrus and the hint of champagne, this cake is perfect to for any occasion. 

How freaking beautiful is this cake?! I could’ve left it completely naked and it would still have been gorgeous. I had asked for this bundt pan for Christmas and I was just itching to use it. As I scrolled through Pinterest trying to find a recipe (I’m not a huge chocolate person…I know - who am I?) I finally came across this one and decided to try it out. I am SO glad I did.

This cake does take a little prep work, but let me tell you it is worth it to have the fresh zest and juice for this cake. I used tangelos and lemons since that’s what my grocery store had. The flavors just dance on your tongue with that first bite. My whole kitchen smelled amazing as I mixed and baked this beauty.

The final product was slightly denser than I expected, but moist and delicious none the less. Now, I live in Denver and I still haven’t figured out the whole high altitude baking thing yet. I made mine according to Laura’s recipe and baked it for 45 minutes since it was slightly underdone at 40 minutes (her suggested time). I will definitely have to play around with some high altitude adaptions and see if I can get an airier sponge. Also, because of the thin, sharp edges of the pan, the outer crust did brown a bit more than I cared for, so I would probably bake at a slightly lower temperature next time.

For decoration, I decided to dry out some orange and lemon slices with my dehydrator. This one is pretty cheap on Amazon and works just fine for my purposes. I love how easy this cake comes together and there’s no fuss or mess with frosting and other decorations.

I topped it with my dried citrus slices, dusted it with powdered sugar and served it with some lemon sorbet and the rest of the champagne.

Citrus Champagne Bundt Cake

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* prep time: 20 minutes
* cook time:42 minutes
* total time: 1 hour 2 minutes
* servings: 12

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Ingredients:

– 2 1/2 cups flour
– 3/4 tsp baking powder
– 1/4 tsp baking soda
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 1/2 cups sugar
– 3 tbsp fresh citrus zest (I used tangelos and lemons)
– 10 tbsp butter at room temp
– 2 large eggs at room temp
– 1 cup champagne or prosecco
– 1/4 cup fresh squeezed citrus juice
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– powdered sugar for dusting
– (optional) dried citrus slices for decorating

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Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
   
   
2. In a food processor, combine sugar and citrus zest and pulse for 1 minute until fragrant. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugar mixture and butter. Beat on medium until pale and fluffy.
   
   
3. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs one at a time until combined. Add in flour and mix until just incorporated. Add champagne, citrus juice, and vanilla until combined.
   
   
4. Spray a 10-cup bundt pan with non-stick spray and evenly spoon in batter. Smooth the top and tap pan sharply on the counter to reduce air bubbles.
   
   
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes until cake is golden, springs back to the touch, and a tester comes out clean. Mine was still gooey at 40 but slightly overdone at 45.
   
   
6. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes then turn out onto rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
   
   

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Notes:
– This cake can be made a day in advance and stored at room temperature.
– Dust with powdered sugar right before serving.
– Pairs perfectly with lemon sorbet and a glass of prosecco or a mimosa.

Original recipe from Tutti Dolci