Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Lemon Curd Sauce

1 cup butter, softened
2 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 eggs
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 ½ T grated lemon rind
½ cup plus 3 T fresh lemon juice, divided
3 T fine, dry breadcrumbs  (store-bought)
Powdered sugar (optional)
Lemon Curd Sauce

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 2 cups sugar, beating well.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Mix at low speed after each addition until blended.  Stir in rind and 3 T juice.

Pour into buttered 12-cup Bundt pan coated with breadcrumbs.  Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan, and place on wire rack.

Combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar and ½ cup lemon juice in a saucepan; cook over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring often.  Prick cake at 1-inch intervals with a long wooden skewer or cake tester.  Spoon juice mixture over top of warm cake; cool completely on wire rack.  Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.  Serve with Lemon Curd Sauce.  Yield:  1 (10-inch) cake.

Lemon Curd Sauce

2 cups sugar
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup grated lemon rind
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
¾ cup butter, softened

Combine first 4 ingredients in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly until mixture coats a spoon.  Cool slightly.  Add butter, 1 T at a time, whisking until blended.  Serve immediately, or cover and chill until ready to serve.  Yield:  4 cups.