GLAZED SOUR CREAM GEM CAKES

Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes image

Gem Cakes are mini sour cream cakes dressed up in colorful glaze. Thanks to the addition of sweet rice flour and sour cream, they have a uniquely plush texture.

Provided by Joy Cho

Categories Butter Egg Sour Cream Milk/Cream Bake Tree Nut Free Soy Free Dessert Cake Easter

Yield 20 mini (2") Bundt cakes or 12 muffin-size cakes

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray, such as PAM for baking (for pan)
½ (scant) cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
⅓ (heaping) cup (60 g) glutinous sweet rice flour (such as Koda Farms Blue Star Mochiko)
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
⅔ (scant) cup (130 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ (scant) cup sour cream, room temperature
3 Tbsp. whole milk, room temperature
Milk Tea Glaze, Matcha Glaze, or Strawberry Jam Glaze (for serving)
Flaky sea salt, toasted unsweetened shredded coconut, lemon zest, or sesame seeds (for serving; optional)

Steps:

Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°. Lightly coat 20 molds of 2 brownie Bundt pans or the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan or 2 standard 6-cup muffin pans with nonstick spray; lightly dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and ½ cup (scant; 60 g) all-purpose flour in a medium bowl to combine.
Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed just until smooth. Add granulated sugar and beat until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. With motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Add vanilla and beat just to combine. (Mixture may look slightly curdled at this point, but don't worry, it will come together in the end.)
Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift in half of dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until a few dry patches remain. Scrape down sides of bowl and add sour cream and milk; beat just until incorporated. Sift in remaining dry ingredients and beat until combined (be careful not to overmix).
Carefully divide batter among prepared pans (about 2 Tbsp. per mold for Bundt pans or about 3 Tbsp. per cup for muffin pan). Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 14-16 minutes for Bundts, 17-20 minutes for muffins. Let cakes cool in pan 10 minutes, then gently loosen cakes with a small offset spatula and turn out onto wire racks; let cool completely.
Dip tops of cakes in glaze of choice; set back on racks, letting excess glaze drip down sides (for easy cleanup, lay a sheet of parchment paper underneath racks to catch any drips). If you want a more vibrant look, double-glaze cakes. Sprinkle cakes with toppings as desired (e.g., a pinch of sea salt on Milk Tea Glaze, coconut or sesame seeds on Matcha Glaze, and lemon zest on Strawberry Jam Glaze). Do ahead: Like doughnuts, gem cakes are best enjoyed the day they are baked but can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.