By Heidi Sutton

Citrus cakes are perfect for the summer and what better day to make one of the following recipes than on July 20, International Cake Day!

This Orange Butter Sponge Cake enhances every party’s dessert course with the sweet and tangy combination of citrus and bitters while this fragrant and moist Orange Juice Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest is a proven winner!

Orange Butter Sponge Cake

Recipe courtesy of Angostura Bitters

YIELD: Makes 2 cakes

INGREDIENTS: 

8 ounces butter, plus for buttering pan

2 cups cake flour, plus for flouring pan

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon Angostura orange bitters

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

powdered or extra-fine sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Sift flour three times and add baking powder and salt. Set aside.

With electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla and orange bitters.

Divide flour mixture into four portions. Set electric mixer on medium low and add flour alternately with orange juice, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until incorporated after each addition.

Divide batter evenly between cake pans and bake 35-40 minutes, or until cake pulls away from sides of pans. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes in cake pans before turning out. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

Orange Juice Pound Cake

YIELD: Makes 1 cake

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh orange juice

Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add orange zest and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice. Beat 2 more minutes. Spoon batter into pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pan onto rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.