White Pepper and Ginger Lemon Cake

A year or so ago I made a mango cake with cayenne pepper and loved the little kick. Then when I went home for a visit, my little bro's wife Zaikea whipped up a batch of zippy white pepper Amish cookies. Of the ten or so cookies that I inhaled, I'd say they were delicious.

So when I found this recipe for Maida Heater (a fancy pants pastry chef)'s White Pepper and Ginger Lemon Cake, I knew I had to give it a try. Plus, lemons are the perfect summer fruit! Just look at that ooey, gooey glaze...oh my goodness, I think I'm making myself drool. Trust me, if you like a little heat (sorry, Stacie), you're gonna love it!

White Pepper and Ginger Lemon Cake with Ginger Glaze [click to print]
Makes one 12-cup bundt cake

For the cake

• Few tablespoons coarse sugar
• 3 c. flour
• 2 tsp. white pepper
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 5 T. lemon zest (about 3 small lemons)
• 1-1/2 T. (4-1/2 tsp.) ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger)
• 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 c. buttermilk

For the Glaze: 

• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 T. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp. ginger paste (or fresh ground ginger)
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3-4 T. milk

Using nonstick cooking spray with flour included, generously coat bundt pan. Sprinkle coarse sugar in pan to lightly coat; set aside. Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together flour, pepper, powder, soda and salt; set aside. In small bowl, whisk together juice, zest, ginger and extract; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar on low speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating well between each addition. Alternately add dry ingredients (about 3 additions) and buttermilk (about 2 additions). Stir in lemon mixture. Pour batter in bundt pan. Firmly tap pan on counter about 3 times to tap out any large air bubbles that may have been trapped when batter was poured into pan.

Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes. Allow cake to cool in pan on wire rack for about 15 minutes. To remove from bundt pan, place wire rack over top of pan and invert, tapping gently on the sides to release, if necessary. Allow to cool completely on wire rack.

For the glaze, combine sugar, butter, zest, ginger and salt in mixing bowl. With mixer on low, add 3 Tablespoons milk. Slowly add additional milk, one teaspoon at a time until you reach desired consistency. Pour over cake and allow to set.

Source: Cake adapted from Sauce and Sensibility; Glaze is all Sugar Rush!