This cake is really easy to make, moist, and super tasty. Once you try it, you might find yourself wanting it for every occasion! Bishop's Cake has quickly become my favorite. It's rich and has a lovely crispy crust with a sweet glaze. The texture is so soft and crumbly, that it practically melts in your mouth.
Bishop Cake
I’m not sure where the name Bishop’s Cake comes from, but I can totally see why it might have been a favorite of someone from long ago. I’ve made this cake many times, and it’s always a hit. With just a few simple ingredients, it’s really easy to make. It’s perfect for birthdays, brunches, or holiday gatherings. You can even make it a day or two in advance, and it stays moist and tasty.
The cake comes out in a cute bundt shape, with a slightly chewy and crisp outside and a golden, buttery inside with a hint of lemon. So delicious!
I had a fridge full of eggs and wasn’t sure what to make, so I decided to go with a pound cake. But not just any pound cake, Bishop’s Cake! It’s a bit denser than your usual pound cake, but it’s just as yummy and versatile.
Bishop’s Cake blends a rich, buttery texture with a nice citrus twist, making it a treat that’s sure to become a favorite in your recipe collection.
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⭐Why You'll Love This Bishops Cake
- Simple Yet Elegant: This cake looks fancy but is easy to make with basic ingredients and simple steps. It’s perfect for both beginners and experienced bakers.
- Moist and Tender: Thanks to softened butter, brown sugar, and a bit of milk, the cake is super moist and tender with a lovely, light crumb.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: It stays fresh for days, so you can make it in advance and have a sweet treat ready for busy times or special occasions.
- Elegant Presentation: Baked in a Bundt pan, it has a beautiful shape that looks impressive on its own. A quick glaze adds a nice touch, making it great for any event.
🧾Bishop's Cake Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this Bishop's Cake:
For the Cake:
- Butter: I use soft, unsalted butter for a rich, moist cake with a tender crumb. Soft butter mixes easily with sugar, helping to create a light, smooth texture.
- Brown Sugar: I prefer brown sugar for its sweetness and subtle molasses flavor, which makes the cake richer and moister. You can use white sugar if you prefer.
- Lemon: Adding lemon zest and juice brightens the cake with a fresh, citrusy flavor. The zest adds a nice aroma, and the juice balances the sweetness while helping the cake rise.
- Eggs: Large, room-temperature eggs help bind the ingredients and give the cake its structure and moisture.
- All-Purpose Flour: This forms the base of the cake and provides structure. It helps the cake hold its shape and gives it texture.
- Baking Powder: It helps the cake rise by creating bubbles in the batter, making it light and airy.
- Salt: Just a pinch enhances the flavors and helps balance the sweetness. It also strengthens the cake’s texture.
- Vanilla Paste: Adds a rich vanilla flavor with a hint of vanilla seeds for extra flavor and a speckled look.
- Milk: A bit of milk adds moisture and helps create a smooth batter, making the cake tender.
For the Topping:
- Icing Sugar: Used for the glaze, it adds sweetness and a glossy finish. It dissolves easily to make a smooth, pourable glaze.
- Water: A little water adjusts the glaze’s consistency, making it smooth and spreadable.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Bishop's Cake
These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.
1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs one by one, mixing each fully before adding the next.
3. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt into the wet ingredients.
4. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla paste. Add milk to the batter and stir until smooth.
5. Brush melted butter on and grease a 20 cm Bundt cake pan. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and spread it evenly.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
7. Once the cake is cool, drizzle the icing over it and let it set before serving.
8. Cut the cake, serve it, and enjoy it with tea or coffee!
🍽 What to Serve with Bishop's Cake
I love enjoying Bishop's Cake with a cup of coffee, tea, or lemonade. It's also great with a scoop of yogurt or cottage cheese ice cream for a cool, creamy contrast. Adding a bit of lemon curd really boosts the citrus flavor and adds a tangy, rich touch.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter is soft but not melted, so it creams well with the sugar. This helps create a lighter cake. Also, let eggs and milk come to room temperature for a smoother batter.
Cream Butter and Sugar Well: Beat the butter and brown sugar until they’re light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. This step adds air to the mix, helping the cake rise and giving it a tender texture.
Grease and Flour the Pan: Grease and flour your Bundt pan thoroughly to prevent sticking. A non-stick spray with flour works too, but brushing with melted butter and dusting with flour is always a safe bet.
Prepare the Glaze: Mix the icing sugar with water gradually until you get a smooth, pourable glaze. It should be thick enough to coat the cake but still easy to drizzle.
Apply the Glaze Evenly: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. You can use a spoon or spatula to help spread it. Let the glaze set before slicing.
Store Properly: Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If storing longer, refrigerate it, but let it warm to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture.
🍰More Cake Recipes to Try!
If you're loving this Bishop's Cake, you'll also adore these delicious cake recipes:
- Yogurt Cake
- Chocolate Banana Cake
- Strawberry Tiramisu Cake
- Flan Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
🍰More Dessert Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite dessert recipes! Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Bishop's Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 250 g Soft Butter
- 225 g Brown Sugar
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 4 Large Eggs
- 225 g All-purpose Flour
- 1½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste
- 2 tablespoon Milk
For the Topping:
- 80 g Icing Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and lemon zest with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take 4-5 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into the wet ingredients.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing gently.
- Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla paste until the batter is smooth.
- Add milk to the batter, stirring until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Brush with melted butter and grease a 20 cm Bundt cake pan.
- Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Remove the cake from the Bundt cake pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the icing sugar with water until you achieve a smooth, pourable glaze.
- Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the icing sugar glaze over the top. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
- Slice the cake, serve, and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
This Bishop's Cake is a delightful treat. The perfect balance of sweet and tangy!