LEMON-ORANGE BUNDT CAKE: National Oranges and Lemons Day

Today is National Oranges and Lemons Day! Who doesn't love a holiday celebration for lemons and oranges? Citrus is so versatile in cakes. I'm lucky to have both lemon and orange trees in my garden. Here's a recipe from Southern Living  (originally from Stop and Smell the Rosemary, Junior League of Houston) to celebrate the holiday--and perfect for a Spring Tea.

 

LEMON-ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

Ingredients 

Cake 

2 cups granulated sugar 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan 

1/2 cup vegetable shortening 

6 large eggs 

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1 cup whole buttermilk 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon lemon extract 

Vanilla Icing 

2 cups powdered sugar 

3 tablespoons whole milk 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Lemon-Orange Icing 

2 cups powdered sugar 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice 

1 drop yellow food coloring gel 

Additional Ingredients 

Thin lemon or orange slices, optional 

Directions

Prepare the Cake: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. 

Beat sugar, butter, and shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 6 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture in 5 additions, beginning and ending with flour, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla and lemon extracts. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on rack, 30 to 40 minutes. 

Prepare Vanilla Icing: 

Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle icing over Cake, letting it drip down sides. Refrigerate 10 minutes to allow icing to set. 

Prepare the Lemon-Orange Icing: 

Whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon and orange juices, and yellow food coloring gel in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle Lemon-Orange Icing over Vanilla Icing, letting it drip down sides. Let stand until set, about 20 minutes. Garnish with thin lemon or orange slices, if desired.