Crystallized Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake

February is a weird month. The thrill of winter and snow is long gone, you're sort of past the peak of January depression, and you're at the point where you just desperately want it to be spring again. Food-wise, that means you ("you" meaning "me") are past the heavy, warming, rib-sticking things that you craved from October to January and are in the mood for things that are bright, fresh, and perky (but still decidedly nourishing) to provide you with some natural serotonin.

Thankfully, winter is peak citrus season. I don't believe in a god, but if I did, I imagine he did this on purpose, to provide humanity during its most dire stretch of the year with perhaps the most sunshine-resembling, happiness-inducing food it knows. I'm a native of California, where there's a lemon tree in practically every backyard (and orange tree, and occasionally kumquat tree as well). Citrus runs through my veins, and it reminds me of home. This is especially true this time of year, when the chaotic Colorado weather is at its most brutal and sadistic. I'm imagining in the Golden State it's probably 50 degrees right now and raining oranges and lemons. Or at least that's what I'd like to imagine. Point being, citrus in all its forms is exactly what I am wanting in February, and luckily, there are a lot of forms to choose from. 

One of my favorites this time of year is the Meyer lemon, a cross between a lemon and a mandarin that has a sweeter, more floral flavor than a standard lemon and a thin, slightly orange rind that lacks a bitter pith. I bought some at Trader Joe's simply because I saw them, but luckily, Claire happens to have a few recipes that feature the ingredient. One of these recipes is her Crystallized Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake in What's for Dessert, which is called so because the glaze of the cake - made with granulated sugar, Meyer lemon juice, and olive oil, is supposed to crystallize into a crunchy shell surrounding the cake. Since I don't have a Bundt pan, and I'm not really interested in getting one, I followed an alternative method Claire gives for her Poppy Seed Almond Bundt Cake in Dessert Person, where she suggests you can split the batter into two loaf pans instead. I only have one loaf pan (and I'm baking for one), so I just halved the recipe. Claire does say in the notes to the Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake recipe that it is "not recommended" to bake the cake in another pan because the glaze needs a lot of surface area, but since I halved the recipe I figured that shouldn't be a problem.

If Meyer lemons are the first selling point in this recipe, olive oil is the second. This cake uses olive oil both as the main source of fat in the cake and as an ingredient in the glaze. I happen to love olive oil in desserts - it gives a wonderful herbal, almost vegetal note (I know I'm not selling it very well, but trust me on this) that complements everything, really, but especially citrus. I also find that oil-based cakes tend to have a lighter, more tender crumb and stay moist (I know y'all hate that word, but what else should I say?) longer. I almost wish the olive oil came through a little more assertively in the final cake - it's definitely more of a background note, and I'm not sure I'd pick it up if I didn't know it was in there.

Like the Cranberry Anadama Cake I made previously (and I guess I'll have to make again to film a TikTok for, oops), this is a very easy cake that's simple enough for beginning bakers. Another practical advantage to an oil-based cake is that there's no creaming of butter and sugar - not that it's a particularly difficult thing to do, but it always gives me anxiety because I simultaneously never think I'm taking it far enough and am also constantly scared to take it farther. With oil, you can just stream it right in until it emulsifies. And yes, every time I make an oil-based cake I feel the need to remind myself that I am essentially making a sweet mayonnaise, which makes me cringe a little.

Pouring the batter into the pan, I was a little scared I didn't have enough. However, the cake rose pretty considerably in the oven and it ended up being fine. I am a decidedly DIY baker, in the sense that I tend to use what I have instead of buying whichever nicknack the recipe calls for. Case in point: after the cake comes out of the oven, you need to poke it all over with a toothpick so it absorbs the glaze easier, then paint the glaze on in layers with a brush. I don't have toothpicks, so I literally went at it with a fork. I don't have a brush, so I used a spatula. Probably not as precise, but it got the job done. Make sure you whisk the glaze right before applying on the cake so that the sugar is evenly dispersed rather than settling at the bottom of the bowl (naturally, my whisk broke, so I used a fork for that too).

This is somewhat of a plain-looking cake, but it more than makes up for it in taste. This recipe honestly produced one of the lightest, softest crumbs I've had in a homemade cake. I could see the flecks of Meyer lemon zest as I cut into the cake, which I thought looked very pretty. The cake has a full but not overpowering lemon flavor, and although I love puckering citrus desserts, I appreciated this cake's subtlety and delicateness. Although I'm trying to better exercise portion control, I admit that I went back for a couple more slices right after my first. It was that good. This is a cake that's perfect for any time of day - morning, afternoon, whenever - and that keeps extraordinarily well for a long period of time. 

Overall Rating: 9/10

My life is definitely getting better, but that doesn't mean there aren't still a few bumps here and there. On Thursday, I lost my credit card while I was shopping. I wasn't really sure how it happened - I used it at Trader Joe's, then headed over to Target and realized in the self checkout line that it wasn't in my wallet. I tried retracing my steps but didn't have any luck - it had vanished. The old me would've panicked - in fact, last year I very embarrassingly cracked my phone screen in a fit of rage when I misplaced my wallet once (turns out it was just under a pile of laundry). However, I think that everything I've been through this year really forced me to mature mentally. I didn't panic or freak out or shed any tears. Instead, I called my bank, who deactivated my card and told me they'd send a replacement in the mail, free of charge. This definitely wasn't the end of the world. And when life gives you lemons, you can always make lemon cake. 

Much like the food I'm eating, I'm a little bit past the somber, understated winter music at this point and starting to lean into more vibrant, invigorating stuff. Caroline Polachek just released one of the most fascinating, boundary-pushing pop albums in a while, and the opening track "Welcome to My Island" is definitely one of my most played songs this month. It's sprawling, a little bit cheeky, and radiates main character energy.