Lemon & Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

The key to a light cake is to cream the butter and sugar together until it’s almost white in colour and very fluffy. You can’t overwhisk, so keep going until it’s taken to its limit. A stand mixer really helps, though you can use a handheld electric whisk (although you may get bored of waiting!). As a bonus, the icing decoration on this bundt is easy to achieve and the snowmen are fun to create. If you’re feeling confident with sugarwork, then try the sugar ‘glass’ dome too, as this transforms the cake into something extra magical.

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas mark 3 and generously grease a 2.4-litre bundt tin
   with butter.
2. Cream the sugar, butter and salt together in a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk attachment on high speed until fluffy and light in colour. You can use a handheld electric whisk but it will take longer.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking for a good minute or so after each addition. Add the flour, lemon zest and baking powder and whisk until just combined. Don’t overwhisk.
4. Add the sour cream and stir until just combined (again avoid overwhisking). Transfer 300g of the cake batter to a separate bowl, then add all the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl to this bowl and stir until just combined.
5. Layer the cake batter in the prepared bundt tin, alternating between spoonfuls of lemon batter and cinnamon swirl. Once all the batter is in the tin, use a chopstick (or similar) to swirl the batter a little. Bake for 50–60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
6. While the cake is baking, prepare the rosemary trees. Dip the rosemary sprigs in the egg white, then roll in the granulated sugar until coated. Leave to dry on baking paper.
7. Next, make the sugar glass balloon. Fill a balloon with cold water from the tap, then knot the top. Place the balloon, knot side down, in a bowl (smaller than the balloon so that sugar doesn’t drip and attach to the bowl). Make sure to have some baking paper underneath the bowl to stop sugar sticking to your work surface. Add the caster sugar, liquid glucose and water to a small pan and stir to combine. Heat over a high heat, but don’t stir at all until the mixture reaches 150C/300F. At this point, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool to 130–133C/226–271F (it will cool quite quickly so keep an eye on it).
8. Immediately pour over the balloon in a circular motion, then leave for about 10–15 minutes until set. Lift the balloon off the bowl and hold over the sink. Use scissors to cut a small hole at the base, letting the water drain out (try to avoid the water touching the sugar). You will then be able to gently pull the balloon away from the sugar glass. Set aside for now on some baking paper.
9. When the bundt cake has finished baking, leave it
   to cool in its tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. It should slide out easily; though if not give it a couple of firm taps. When the bundt is completely cool, make the lemon drizzle by whisking the icing sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl. Add a little white food dye. This will make the icing bright white and opaque, which will look much more effective on the cake.
10. Spoon the icing over the bundt cake, creating drips like the top of a mountain, then top with the sugar glass bowl and place the rosemary trees behind it. Arrange white  marshmallows in the icing to look like snowmen. Use sprinkles, edible ink pen, orange fondant/candy melts and cookies (matchsticks or pocky work well) to decorate the
    snowmen. Leave to cool.