Best Citrus Cake Recipes

SUNNY CITRUS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Invert the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan (to make it easier to slide the cake off the bottom) then lock on the sides of the pan. Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of the pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the butter, lemon and orange zests and sugar. Beat on medium for several minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs, one at a time and blend just until the yolk disappears. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and blend again.
• In a measuring cup with a spout, combine the vanilla, sour cream, lemon juice and orange juice and stir to combine (the mixtures may seem curdled). Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat on low until incorporated. Add ⅓ of the juice mixture and blend until smooth. Do not over beat. Repeat adding ½ of the remaining flour, then ½ of the remaining juice until both are incorporated. Add the last of the flour and juice and blend once more. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and gently stir with a spatula once more.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. A few moist crumbs is okay - but no wet batter.
• Cool the cake on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before removing the sides. Cool completely before glazing.
• Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a deep saucepan or skillet large enough to hold the sliced citrus in a single layer. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Add the sliced citrus and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning once or twice until tender, but not falling apart. Remove to a wire rack to cool. The remaining simple syrup can be refrigerated and used to sweeten smoothies, tea or cocktails.
• Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice and whisk to combine. Add boiling water or additional sugar until you reach the desired pourable consistency. Drizzle over the cake and top with candied citrus if desired.

CITRUS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 320F
• Mix the margarine and sugar together and cream until light and fluffy.
• Then beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Stir in the fruit juices and the flour and mix well. Pour the mixture into a cake tin measuring 8"x12"x1½" which has been lined with baking parchment and spread evenly.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for roughly 35 minutes.
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin before removal and storage in an air-tight container.

LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.
• Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
• For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

UPSIDE-DOWN CITRUS CAKE

Steps:

• For the topping: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Use a fine grater to zest 1 teaspoon zest from each of the citruses (for a total of 1 tablespoon zest). Reserve the zest for the cake.
• Cut the top and bottom off of each citrus and place them with a flat side on the cutting board. Then, following the curve of the fruit, use a sharp knife to cut off the peels and as much of the white pith as possible. Slice the fruit crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds; carefully remove any seeds.
• Combine the butter and sugars in a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until melted. Pour into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly. Top with the citrus rounds so that they fit very snugly and are slightly overlapping (you may not use every slice). Drizzle with the orange liqueur, if using.
• For the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Put the butter, sugar and reserved zest in another bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour; mix until just combined.
• Pour the cake batter over the citrus and bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center just comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake and let it cool for 15 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a platter, replacing any citrus that may have stuck to the pan. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

MOM'S CITRUS BUTTERMILK CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan., Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. , Poke holes in warm cake using a fork or wooden skewer. Mix glaze ingredients; spoon slowly over cake. Cool 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack; cool completely.,

TRIPLE-CITRUS BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-cup Bundt pan (or kugelhopf mold) with cooking spray; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Finely grate 2 teaspoons lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon orange zest.
• With a sharp knife, remove peel and bitter white pith from all citrus. Holding a lemon over a bowl, cut between membranes to release segments into bowl. Squeeze juice from membranes into another bowl. Repeat with remaining lemon and orange(s), combining segments in one bowl and juices in other. Cut segments into 1/4-inch pieces. (You will need 3 tablespoons juice and 3/4 cup segments.)
• Sift together flour, superfine sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Add creme fraiche; beat on medium speed until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each. Beat in butter, citrus juices, and zests. Add citrus segments and beat just to combine. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake, rotating pan once, until a tester inserted in middle comes out clean, about 48 minutes.
• Syrup: Bring citrus juices and superfine sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil 30 seconds more.
• Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl.
• Serving: When cake is done, leave oven on and let cake cool in pan on a wire rack set on a baking sheet 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack and let cool 10 minutes more. Transfer to a shallow dish. Brush syrup over cake. Continue brushing syrup from dish until all syrup is used. Return cake to wire rack; let dry in oven 5 minutes. Immediately brush with glaze. Let cool completely. Cake can be stored, covered, up to 1 day.
• Spoon whipped cream into center of cake; top with candied zest and serve.