2 1/4cupscake flour OR scant 2 cups all purpose flour
1/2cuphomemade vanilla pudding mixsee below OR 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding
1tablespoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonsalt
1 1/4cupsbuttermilk
1 1/2cupssugar
2tablespoonslemon zest
1stick1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3eggs
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
1/2teaspoonorange extract
1/4teaspoonalmond extract
1/4cupsliced almondstoasted
Glaze
2cupspowdered sugarsifted
1tablespoonbuttermilk
3-4tablespoonsorange juice
1/8teaspoonorange extractoptional
Homemade Vanilla Pudding Mix
3cupsinstant nonfat dry milk
4cupsgranulated sugar
1teaspoonsalt
3cupscornstarch
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, dry pudding mix, baking powder and salt; set aside. Measure out buttermilk and set aside.
Using your fingertips, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant. Place fragrant sugar and butter in mixer bowl and beat until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Turn the mixer speed down to low and add the extracts.
Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, alternating, starting and ending with the flour. When combined well, turn mixer speed up to medium and beat for three minutes.
Put batter into prepared bundt pan and bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Blend the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until you reach a drizzling (not runny) consistency. Place a piece of foil or wax paper underneath the cooling rack to catch drips. Drizzle half of the glaze over the cake and place cake in the refrigerator for ten minutes to allow it to firm up. Stir the remaining glaze (add a few drops of juice if it thickened up while sitting) then drizzle over the first layer of glaze. Drop sliced, toasted almonds into the wet glaze. Allow glaze to set, or place in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
Homemade Vanilla Pudding Mix
Combine milk, sugar, salt and cornstarch in a food processor and process until uniform. You may need to do this in 2-3 batches. Store mix in airtight canister or a closely covered jar.
To prepare pudding: Stir the mix in the canister before measuring out 1/2 cup mix into a pan. Add 2 cups milk AND 1 teaspoon of vanilla and cook over low heat, stirring until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Continue stirring for 1 minute, remove from heat and pour into individual serving dishes. Pudding will thicken further as it cools.