Calamansi Bundt Cake

Celebrating winter and it's citrus bounty with cake made from fruits native to my home country: calamansi. 

Even though I have a small tree that's been good to me, I still get a thrill when I come across them in the markets and try to hoard them. 

My family has been enjoying drinking calamansi juice and wanted to make something else different besides the usual curd and cookies. A Bundt cake is always impressive with it's size and curves without the need for frosting. 

The glaze gives it a boost of calamansi flavor and sealed in the moisture that it was even flavorful even after a couple days. The addition of sour cream made the cake tender and gave it tangy that complements the calamansi. 

The recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart. I used calamansi liqueur (calamansi that I have been steeping in vodka for a couple months) but other citrus liqueur (like limoncello) or more fresh juice can be added to substitute. 

Calamansi Bundt Cake

For the cake:

2 Tbsp. finely grated calamansi zest, from about 35 calamansi 

400g (2 cups) granulated sugar

225g (8 ounces/1 cup/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

360g (3 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

5g (1 tsp) baking soda

5g (1 tsp) salt

6 large eggs

180g (3/4 cup) fresh calamansi juice, from about 35 calamansi

2 Tbsp. calamansi liqueur 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

180g (3/4 cup) sour cream, room temperature

For the glaze:

240g (2 cups) confectioners' sugar

1 Tbsp. finely grated calamansi zest

60g (1/4 cup) calamansi juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. 

2. Stir together calamansi zest and sugar in a small bowl until well blended. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. 

3. In a mixer in medium-high speed, cream butter with sugar-calamansi mixture until pale and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in juice and extract. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with sour cream and beat until just combined. 

4. Transfer batter to prepared pan, smooth top and tap pan firmly on counter few times. Bake until tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool 30 minutes. Turn out cake onto rack to cool completely. 

5. Make glaze by whisking together confectioners' sugar and calamansi juice until smooth. Pour glaze evenly over cake, letting it set before serving. Cake can be stored at room temperature under cake cover, up to 2 days.