Bundt pans were created in 1950 by H. David Dalquist of Minnesota at the request of someone who wanted a lighter version of the traditional German cast-iron Kugelhupf (or bundkuchen) pan. The heavy ring-shaped pan was used to make coffee cakes, so Dalquist created a light aluminum version and founded the company NordicWare at the same time. The pans sold slowly until 1966 when the second place winner of the Pillsbury Bake Off baked her infamous "Tunnel of Fudge" cake in a bundt pan. The bundt legend was born!
While I've never had a Tunnel of Fudge cake (nor can I say it without a giggle), there's something about a cake baked in a bundt pan that helps to make the day just a bit brighter. So whip out your bundt pan and bake up a sunny cake made with yogurt, olive oil and Seville oranges! If you don't have a ridged round pan, just use a regular old loaf pan and keep a careful eye on things about 10 minutes before the end of the bake time. Don't have the bitter Seville oranges? Use lemons, limes, or grapefruit instead.
Citrus Yogurt Cake(adapted from Joy the Baker)
2 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
3/4 c sugar
zest of 2 Seville oranges
juice of 2 Seville oranges + enough plain yogurt to measure 1 cup
1/3 c olive oil
1 t vanilla extract
Citrus syrup
juice of 2 Seville oranges
4 T sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour your bundt pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the sugar and the orange zest together. Blend well so that the oils in the zest release into the sugar and becomes fragrant. Beat the eggs into the sugar until well combined and stir in the yogurt, orange juice, vanilla and olive oil. Add in flour mixture and stir until everything is all mixed.
4. Pour batter into the bundt pan, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the tops are golden and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.
5. While cake is cooling, mix together the sugar and the orange juice in a small saucepan until the sugar melts. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the orange syrup over the cake. Poke the cake a few times with a skewer if need be to help soak in the syrup, because the wetter this cake gets with the orange syrup the better it will be.
