Lemon Cranberry Bundt Cake & Yogurt Cream: There is something special about mini bundt cakes. I’m not sure what it is, maybe it is the fact that you can eat more than one. Is it because it only takes 2 or 3 bites to consume one of these little devils, or that they are so “French” looking and are so simple to bake? Either way, you have to agree, that someone cannot ignore the fact that mini bundt cakes just look awesome and sophisticated.
Baking with Garbanzo Beans:
Taking something like a bundt cake and changing one or two ingredients can enhance nutrition and create food that is alive with flavor.
The alternative to this lemon cranberry bundt cake recipe involves the use of garbanzo beans, apple sauce, and fat-free buttermilk.
Applesauce is a great way to decrease the amount of fat in a recipe while maintaining moisture. If you don’t disclose that the bundt cakes are made with Garbanzo beans, your guest will never know. I tell people after and always get that “no way” look and response.
Garbanzo Bean 101:
Garbanzo beans not only add protein but also add fiber that is proven to lower cholesterol.
The American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society are recommending eating beans as part of a heart-healthy diet, as they may help decrease your chances of heart disease. Garbanzo beans sometimes called chickpeas are a staple of the Mediterranean diet and a great source of protein. For this reason, dried or canned garbanzo beans are one legume you will always find in my pantry. From a nutritional standpoint, both dried or canned garbanzo beans contain a moderate amount of calories and are high in fiber and protein. All properties that play a role in weight management. They are incredibly easy to incorporate into your diet and can be used in soups, salads, baking, snacks, etc.
Research has shown that regularly including garbanzo beans in your diet will support your health and may reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. The garbanzo beans used in this recipe are canned garbanzos, cream-colored, relatively round, and called a “Kabuli-type.
What are Pulses:
Pulses are nutritional powerhouses, they are rich in protein and fiber and low in fat, pulses can help you feel fuller longer. Pulses are part of the legume family (any plants that grow in pods), but the term “pulse” refers only to the dry edible seed within the pod. Pulses are good for people with gluten intolerance and vegans, who can’t get protein from meat, fish, or dairy products. In the U.S., chickpeas, beans, peas, and lentils are probably the most popular and familiar to home cooks. Here is a great link to the Pulses, as well as a visual guide and how to get involved, resources, recipes, etc.

Lemon Cranberry Bundt Cake, Yogurt Cream
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
Honeyed Cranberries
Lemon Syrup
Yogurt cream
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 8 oz Yogurt Greek
- 1 tbsp sugar confection
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Lemon Bundt cake
- 11 oz garbanzo beans drained
- 4 fl oz buttermilk
- 2 oz canola oil
- 4 oz apple sauce unsweetened
- 5 oz cranberries dried
- 5 medium eggs
- 2 medium lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon extract
- 13 oz sugar granulated
- 12 oz all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
Instructions
Make honeyed cranberries
- Using a lemon zester remove the peel of one orange. In a saucepan combine orange zest, honey, sugar, and water, stir and bring to a short simmer Cool for 20 minutes, Transfer to a small bowl, and add 2 cups of fresh cranberries. Refrigerate, covered for 8 hours. Remove cranberries from the syrup place them on a sheet pan and let sit until completely dry.4 oz honey, 1 lb cranberries, 4 oz Sugar, 1 medium orange, 4 tbsp water
Make Lemon syrup
- In a small saucepan combine sugar, lemon juice, lemon extract, and water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Let the syrup cool.4 oz sugar, 4 oz fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp lemon, 1 tbsp sugar
Make yogurt cream
- In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to overbeat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like. Add Greek yogurt and whip additional 3 minutes. Set aside1 tbsp sugar, 8 oz heavy cream, 8 oz Yogurt, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Make lemon bund cake
- Rinse Garbanzo Beans in cold water. Place beans, buttermilk, vanilla, canola oil, and applesauce in a Vitamix blender and mix at medium speed until smooth. Separate egg yolks and whites. Set egg whites aside. Pour bean puree into a mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the egg yolks, granulated sugar, lemon zest, flour, lemon extract, and baking powder, and blend evenly at medium speed.11 oz garbanzo beans, 4 fl oz buttermilk, 2 oz canola oil, 4 oz apple sauce, 5 medium eggs, 2 medium lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon extract, 13 oz sugar, 12 oz all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- In a separate mixer, with a wire whip, add egg whites and beat slowly until foamy. Then increase speed and beat whites to stiff peak. Gently fold egg whites and dried cranberries into the batter. Preheat oven to 320°F.5 oz cranberries
Portion bundt cakes
- Spray mini bundt cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Portion batter evenly into pans, you want to fill bundt cake molds no more than ¾.
Bake bundt cakes
- Bake in a preheated convection oven for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in bundt cakes comes out clean. Invert the bundt cakes onto a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bundt cakes will rise during baking, so with a serrated knife remove the top part
Brush bundt cakes with lemon syrup
- Using a wooden skewer, poke holes evenly all over the bund cakes and brush with the lemon syrup. Brushing the bundt cakes with Lemon syrup adds that extra lemon kick and keeps the bundt cakes moist.
Garnish bundt cakes and serve
- Dust the bundt cakes with Icing sugar, garnish with yogurt cream, honeyed cranberries, and fresh lemon zest
Chef Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate