Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting
Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting
Bundt cakes are all the rage right now. Sizes range from full-size like my Carrot Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, muffin-size or mini like this recipe. Aren’t these adorable? I purchased a 12-mini bundt cake pan recently and have been going a little overboard, much to the delight of my family and neighbors who are benefiting from all the trial runs. Since it is Easter time, I thought fresh lemon was the perfect flavor.
I love lemons! I grew up with a lemon tree in my Southern California backyard. It was located next to our playground equipment, but our lemon tree was not for climbing. It was a big bushy tree and full of thorns that made picking lemons an undesirable task. When mother asked us to pick lemons, we’d flip for it. Nevertheless our tree produced the biggest lemons around and they were pretty juicy which means we learned to love lemons in all their forms, even peeled fresh with a little salt sprinkled on them. This makes my mouth water, just thinking of it. My dentist father did not approve of that habit.
This delectable recipe calls for the usual cake ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and eggs but for a little more nutritional benefit. I use unrefined coconut oil and fat-free plain Greek yogurt. The result is a moist, slightly dense cake. The frosting is a light blend of grated lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, powdered sugar and reduced-fat cream cheese. Yum!
The best part of mini bundt cakes besides eating them is that a small portioned size is all you may need or want, and the latter would only be if you ate too much at Easter dinner this year. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Fresh Pineapple Salsa
- Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cooking Spray
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/3 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4-ounce reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest plus extra for garnish
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or as needed for desired consistency
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup mini bundt cake pan with cooking spray.
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream oil and sugar in a stand mixer with paddle attachment or large bowl and electric mixer until fluffy and light, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and mix well. Add lemon zest and juice and mix well.
- Add one half of the flour mixture along with one half of the yogurt and mix, just to combine. Repeat and combine being careful not to overmix. As you're mixing, use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Add vanilla extract and mix.
- Using a medium or large cookie scoop, add 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp to each bundt cake cavity. Tap pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles that may have accumulated.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes until edges are golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in several cakes comes out clean.
- Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a cooling rack and place on top of the mini bundt pan. Flip the pan over and remove the pan, leaving the cakes to cool on the parchment paper (on top of the cooling rack). Allow cakes to cool at least 15 minutes before frosting.
- For the Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer on medium speed until softened. Slowly add the sugar, zest, juice and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy, about 3 minutes, adjusting to desired consistency with more or less lemon juice. Pipe frosting into centers of mini bundt cakes when cool. Sprinkle with extra grated lemon zest, if desired.
You might also enjoy:
Lemon Poppyseed Muffins with Almond Lemon Glaze
Strawberry Lemon Angel Dessert
