the how-to: cake 

1 Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with softened butter—make sure to coat every single nook and cranny. Sprinkle flour evenly over the pan, then tap out the excess. 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 3 In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. 

4 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar using your fingertips (this will give us a lot more flavor!). Add the butter and beat on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time (seriously—one at a time!), beating thoroughly, about 30 seconds, on medium speed between each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running on low, add the flour and buttermilk mixture in three alternating batches, until just combined. 

5 Add half of the batter to the Bundt pan. Add half of the raspberry preserves, dropping by the spoonful around the pan in a random (but roughly evenly spaced) pattern. Swirl the preserves into the batter with a butter knife. Add the second half of the batter, then repeat your raspberry swirls. Smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to remove air bubbles. 

6 Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top of the cake is golden and a tester inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing. When you flip it over, leave the pan on top of the cake for 30 seconds before lifting it off—it should drop right out! 

the how-to: icing 

1 In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, raspberry preserves, and vanilla extract. Since we want those pretty drips that stop halfway down the cake, we’re looking for a thick icing here. Set a length of wax paper or parchment paper under your cooling rack to

catch any drips. Spoon the icing over the completely cooled cake evenly, letting it run down the sides. Store in an airtight container out on the counter for up to 5 days.