Name: Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 20 mini (2") Bundt cakes or 12 muffin-size cakes
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)

Photo of matcha strawberry and milk tea flavored gem cakes.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou

Gem Cakes are mini sour cream cakes dressed up in a variety of glazes. They are simple yet sophisticated, and lovely for springtime snacking. Thanks to the addition of sweet rice flour and rich sour cream, the cakes have a uniquely plush texture: They’re tender, while retaining structure, and wonderfully moist. I originally developed this recipe for a Bundt brownie pan (hence the “gem” shape and name), but a standard muffin pan works just as well, producing mini cakes that are a feast for the eyes and perfect for sharing. I recommend spraying the pan with PAM for Baking, which has a little flour in the mix to help prevent sticking.

Speaking of glazes: The variations are only a starting point; feel free to experiment with the spices, powders, and extracts you have on hand. Just be sure to add flavorings a little at a time until you get to your desired intensity.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Yield
20 mini (2") Bundt cakes or 12 muffin-size cakes

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)

Preparation

Step 1
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.
Step 2
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.)
Step 3
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).
Step 4
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.
Step 5
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.