Best Citrus Cake Recipes

ALMOND CITRUS OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8-inch-diameter cake pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and zests in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the almonds. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Place cake pan on baking pan to collect any possible spills. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Remove cake and place on serving platter, top side up. Sift powdered sugar over the cake.
• To make the citrus compote: Stir the orange peel, blossom water, and 2 tablespoons of accumulated juices from the segmented fruit in a small bowl to blend. Arrange the orange and grapefruit segments decoratively in a wide shallow bowl. Pour the blossom water mixture over. Cover and let stand 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.
• Cut the cake into wedges and spoon the citrus compote alongside.

CITRUS-KISSED SWEET POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs and orange zest until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, pie spice and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in sweet potatoes., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, orange zest, lemon juice and extract until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Decorate with orange peel. Refrigerate leftovers.

GRILLED ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH CITRUS COMPOTE

Steps:

• For the Citrus Compote: Zest 1 grapefruit and set aside for the Grapefruit Whipped Cream. Cut off the top and bottom of an orange and place it on the counter flat side down. Cut the outer peel and pith off. Cut into chunks, removing as much pith as possible. Repeat with the remaining citrus fruits (including the zested grapefruit). Add the citrus chunks to a medium saucepot with 1/2 cup of water, the sugar and a handful of mint. Bring to low boil over medium heat and cook, occasionally stir gently making sure not to break up the fruit too much, until slightly syrupy and the sugar is dissolved, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, discard the mint and reserve, it will thicken slightly as it cools.
• For the Grapefruit Whipped Cream: Add the cream and zest to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a bowl with a hand mixer and whip on medium-high speed until peaks are medium-stiff. Refrigerate.
• For the Angel Food Cake: Preheat your outdoor grill to medium heat. Slice the angel food cake in half along the equator. Place each half on the grill and toast on both sides until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side.
• Place the bottom of the grilled angel food cake on a platter and spoon about half of the whipped cream over top. Use a slotted spoon to spoon some of the citrus compote over the whipped cream (don't use too much syrup or the whipped cream will be too runny). Place the top half of the cake on top (like a whipped cream sandwich). Spoon the other half of the whipped cream over top and spoon more of the citrus compote on. Garnish with mint leaves. Slice and serve like a layer cake.

TOASTED POUND CAKE WITH CITRUS CREAM

Steps:

• For the pound cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange the pound cake in a single layer on the prepared pan. Brush with the melted butter and drizzle with honey. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• For the citrus cream: In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat all the ingredients together until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
• To assemble: Spoon the citrus-cream filling on the cooled pound cake slices. Top with orange segments and serve.

TANGERINE CAKE WITH CITRUS GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make cake: Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in tangerine zest and juice and liqueur. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions yogurt, and beat to combine; beat in vanilla. Transfer batter to pan, smooth top, and firmly tap pan on a flat surface to remove air bubbles.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 30 minutes. Invert cake onto rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely. (With a serrated knife, trim cake to sit flat, if necessary.)
• Make glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and tangerine juice until smooth. Spoon glaze evenly over cake and let set 1 hour.

CITRUS, ALMOND & YOGURT CAKE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small pan. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, butter a 23cm springform cake tin and line with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Put the 200g caster sugar, flour and ground almonds in a large bowl and mix well. Whisk the eggs and 75g yogurt into the cooled melted butter, then pour this into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Zest the lemon and orange over the bowl. Stir with a spatula until there are no streaks of flour, then scrape into the tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 40 mins.
• Cut a few slices each from the zested lemon and orange, then squeeze the juice from what's left of each into a saucepan (you'll need about 6 tbsp total). Add the 2 tbsp caster sugar and the fruit slices to the pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 5-10 mins, or until the juice has reduced to a thin syrup and the fruit slices have softened. Leave to cool. Remove the fruit slices to a sheet of baking parchment and leave to dry.
• Insert a skewer into the middle of the cake - it should come out dry, with no wet cake mix clinging to it. If it's not ready, bake for 5-10 mins more and check again. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then spoon over the citrus syrup. Leave to cool for 10 mins more, then remove from the tin. To freeze, first leave to cool completely, then wrap the cake well. Will keep frozen for up to three months.
• Mix the 2 tbsp yogurt with the icing sugar to make a thick icing. Spoon this onto the centre of the cake and use the back of a spoon to ease it to the edge (it should drip over the side). Scatter over the flaked almonds and decorate with the fruit slices. Serve warm, or leave to cool completely. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to five days.

CITRUS CORNMEAL CAKE

Steps:

• Coat a 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat the yogurt, honey, oil, egg, egg whites and extract until well blended. Combine the flour, cornmeal and baking powder; gradually beat into yogurt mixture until blended. Stir in orange zest., Pour into prepared pan. Arrange oranges over batter; sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RAINBOW CITRUS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is incorporated; stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Divide batter into 3 bowls.
• In the first bowl, stir in lemon zest and yellow food coloring; pour into prepared pan. In the second bowl, stir in orange zest and orange food coloring; pour into second prepared pan. In the last bowl, stir in the lime zest and green food coloring; pour into third prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Assemble the cake: stack the layers together with the Lemon Filling in between the layers. Frost sides and top with Orange Cream Frosting. Refrigerate until serving.

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.,

LEMON CAKE WITH LEMON FILLING AND CITRUS/COCONUT FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat together the 8 egg yolks and 2 cups sugar until thick and pale. Stir in the 2 teaspoons lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Fold whites into the egg yolk mixture alternately with the flour mixture. Spread evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let layers cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely. Using a long serrated knife, slice the layers in half horizontally.
• To make the filling: In the top of a double boiler, combine the 1 1/3 cup sugar, 4 egg yolks, 2 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/3 cup lemon juice. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and mixture thickens. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter. Cool to room temperature before filling cake.
• To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, cream the 1/3 cup butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners sugar and mix in the orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest and lemon juice. Finally, stir in coconut. Frost the outside of the filled cake.

CITRUS POUND CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, lemon zest and orange zest. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with yogurt. Beat just until combined., Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 325° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and enough lemon juice to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with candied lemon and orange peel.

CITRUS CAKE WITH LEMON WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F for shiny metal pans (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease and slightly flour bottoms and sides of two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray; lightly flour (or spray with cooking spray or baking spray with flour).
• In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans.
• Bake and cool as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch rounds.
• In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1/2 cup of the pie filling and the grated orange peel.
• Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate. Spread remaining pie filling over layer to within 1/4 inch of edge. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Spread whipped cream mixture over side and top of cake. Garnish top of cake with strips of lemon and orange peel. Store covered in refrigerator.

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.

CITRUS-GLAZED PUMPKIN-CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 14-cup angel-food cake pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. With mixer on low, add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions, alternating with 2 additions pumpkin mixture. Scrape down bowl as needed. Fold in carrots and walnuts.
• Spread batter into pan, using a small spatula to fill any air pockets. Smooth top and firmly tap pan on a flat surface several times to remove air bubbles.
• Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 70 to 75 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan. To serve, spoon glaze over top.

CITRUS-GLAZED POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until very light and fluffy, 7 minutes. Scrape down bowl and beat 1 minute more. Add vanilla, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, then gradually add eggs, beating well and scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add salt, then gradually add flour, beating well to combine and scraping down bowl as needed.
• Transfer batter to pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 65 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 1 hour. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on rack.
• Make a glaze by whisking together confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and orange juice until smooth. Pour citrus glaze over cooled cake. Slice cake and serve.
• To store, wrap unglazed cake in plastic and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days, or wrap it in plastic and freeze for up to 3 weeks. (Thaw, wrapped, at room temperature.)

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.

BLUEBERRY CITRUS CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, orange juice and oil; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fold in blueberries and peels. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans., Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a small bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, orange juice and peels; beat until blended. Fold in whipped topping. , Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake. Refrigerate until serving.

CITRUS-RASPBERRY COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, oil, orange juice and extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened., Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with raspberries. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean., Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CITRUS-KISSED SWEET POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottoms of two greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs and orange zest until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, pie spice and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in sweet potatoes., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, orange zest, lemon juice and extract until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Decorate with orange peel. Refrigerate leftovers.

CAKE MIX CITRUS BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Lightly grease or spray large cookie sheet. In large bowl, mix biscotti ingredients with spoon until dough forms.
• On cookie sheet, shape dough into 14x3-inch rectangle, 1/2 inch thick. Bake 19 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet on cooling rack 15 minutes.
• Cut dough crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange slices cut side up on cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until bottoms are light golden brown; turn slices over. Bake 7 to 8 minutes longer or until bottoms are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over biscotti. Before stacking biscotti, let stand about 4 hours or until glaze is set. Store loosely covered.