This recipe describes how to make a light and refreshing citrus cake using lemon and orange juice and zest. The cake is made with a creaming method to achieve a light texture and is topped with a citrus glaze made from orange juice, peel and butter for added sweetness and flavor. Baking the cake in a shiny aluminum pan produces a tender crumb, and it is best served the same day for its fresh citrus flavor.

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2. This soft, light and refreshing citrus cake is perfect for summer days. A
combination of fresh lemon and orange juice, as well as lemon and
orange peel is used to make this simple recipe, adapted from
Sedgewood Book of Baking. To make the citrus cake you also need
flour, baking powder, salt, butter, sugar, and eggs. The cake is
glazed with a citrus icing made with butter, sugar, fresh orange juice
and grated orange peel. The thin icing makes the top crisp and
gives it extra sweetness and added citrus flavor. Best served on the
day it is made, citrus cake makes an elegant treat for garden parties
or summer dinners.
For a smooth and even batter, use an electric mixer for making the
batter. This recipe uses the creaming method to achieve a light and
fluffy cake. This is the process of beating the sugar and the butter
until light and fluffy. When beating the ingredients, do so at low
speed first to prevent spattering, gradually increasing the speed to
blend the ingredients well. Sift all the dry ingredients for a more
accurate measurement. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients
to the wet ingredients to avoid clumping and to make sure that
every bit of flour is moistened.
When making citrus cake, it is best to use shiny aluminum pans since
they reflect the heat away and produce a tender texture and light
brown crust. Dark, glass or nonstick baking pans absorb more heat
and cause the cake to brown faster. Grease and flour the pan
before adding the batter to make it easier to take the cake out
when it is baked and cooled. Allow the cake to cool for about ten
minutes before removing the cake from the pan. To remove the
cake, place a towel over the wire rack and place the whole with the
towel side on the top of the cake. Turn everything together over to
remove the cake from the pan.
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3. Ingredients
 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 ½ teaspoon salt
 ¾ cup butter
 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
 4 eggs (separated)
 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
 ¾ cup fresh orange juice
 For the Glaze:
 3 tablespoons butter
 2 cups powdered sugar
 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch cake pan. In a mixing
bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2 In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and beat until
fluffy. One at a time, add the egg yolks. Add lemon juice, lemon peel, and orange peel.
Alternately add a little of the flour mixture with a little or the orange juice, until just blended.
3 In a separate mixer bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites
into the flour mixture by hand.
4 Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick
inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to
cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn the pan upside down and turn the cake
out onto the wire rack to completely cool.
5 To make the glaze, melt the butter in the microwave. Allow to cool a few minutes, then,
a little at a time, stir in the powdered sugar. Stir in the orange juice, a little at a time. Stir in
the orange peel.
6 When the cake is cool, spoon the glaze over the cake and let it sit for 10 minutes. Spoon
the remaining glaze over the cake. Let the cake sit until the glaze is dry.
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