Easter is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate than mini lemon bunt cakes that double as a little bird nest? I don't think there's anything more festive. These cakes are so simple I just used Ina Garten's recipe for lemon loaf cake and added on a few extras. The cakes are moist and delicious because they are soaked with lemon syrup right when they come out of the oven and then covered in a sugar glaze...my mouth is watering just thinking about it! These light happy little cakes are the perfect way to celebrate the coming of spring and a glorious Easter holiday. You can whip these up in about an hour and be ready to entertain family and friends anytime!
Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Cake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 1/3 cup sugar divided
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- /2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
To start, set your oven to 350 degrees and grease your mini bunt pans or muffin tins. Sift the dry ingredients into a small bowl and then in a separate bowl mix the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Once those are all mixed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet and mix till just combined. Lastly, stir in the 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and you're ready to bake! Pour each cup 2/3 of the way full and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. While the cakes are baking take your reserved 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup of lemon juice and heat them in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, then set it aside to cool.
Once the cakes are out, poke them with toothpicks and pour a spoonful of cooled syrup over each of them. While the syrup soaks in make your glaze, simply combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice to create. Let the cakes cool before drizzling the glaze over each one.
The last step is to add the nests. put about 1/2 a cup of shredded coconut in a dry pan and toast over medium heat until it's got some color on it. Watch it carefully because it can burn, take it off the heat when it's just starting to turn brown and let it cool until it's easy to handle.
To top the cakes, just place a little handful of coconut right in the center of the bunt, it should stick to the slightly wet glaze. Then add whatever candy egg you like, I used a chocolate covered almond, but you could use cadbury eggs, or jellybeans...anything would work! Then all you have to do is enjoy your little lemon nests, and have a happy Easter!