LEMON GROVE BUNDT CAKE

2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 cups unbleached flour sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup 1 1/2% cultured buttermilk
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
FOR THE LEMON ICING:
1/4 cup butter softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-inch Bundt pan.

In a very large bowl, cream butter until very light; do NOT succomb to the temptation to speed up the creaming process, as it is one of the secrets to the success of the cake. Slowly add sugar until mixture is very light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.

In another bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to butter mixture. Begin and end with flour. Mix in lemon peel and juice. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 65-75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place pan on rack for 10 minutes to cool. Turn cake out of pan onto rack.

TO PREPARE THE LEMON ICING:
Blend butter and sugar together in a medium bowl. Mix in peel and juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is of spreading consistency. If the entire amount of juice is used, the icing will be thin and possibly difficult to spread evenly, however a very tangy frosting greatly enhances the flavor of the cake.

Spread with as much lemon icing as the cake can absorb (about a third of the icing). Allow cake to cool completely then frost with remaining icing.

This cake was a second place winner at the Del Mar fair.

Soiurce: Jo Anne Merrill