Rainbow Citrus Cake

Submitted by MaryMatt1016

"When I was a teenager, my mother found this in either Woman's Day or Family Circle. It's been a beloved recipe in our family ever since. I have used a store-bought lemon curd in place of the lemon filling when I'm pressed for time. This is a wonderful cake for birthdays or dinner with friends."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 lemon, rind of
• 1 orange, rind of, and
• 1 lime, rind of
• yellow food coloring
• red food coloring
• green food coloring
• 12 walnut halves

directions

1. Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) cake pans. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add shortening, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat at low speed 1 minute. Beat 3 minutes more on high speed (scrape side of bowl several times). Divide batter into 3 bowls; add lemon rind and yellow food color to 1 bowl; add orange rind and yellow and red food color to 1 bowl; and add lime rind and green food color to the last bowl. Stir each just to blend. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Put layers together with lemon filling; frost top and sides with orange cream frosting. Garnish by placing the walnut halves evenly around the edge of the cake.

2. LEMON FILLING:

3. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in large saucepan. Beat 2 egg yolks and 3/4 cup water with a wire whip until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook until mix thickens and bubbles 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons butter. Pour into glass bowl; cover with plastic wrap; cool completely. Spread between layers. If there's a store-bought lemon curd that you like, skip this step, and spread the lemon curd between the layers.

4. ORANGE CREAM FROSTING:

5. Beat 1/2 cup butter until soft. Beat in 1 package 10x sugar (sifted) and a dash of salt until all sugar is added. Beat in 2 tablespoon orange juice, 2 tablespoon corn syrup and 2 tablespoon vanilla until spreadable. Tint orange with red and yellow food color. Frost top and sides of cake.

Reviews

[Betsy J.]

I have been making this cake for Mother's Day and my Mom's birthday every year for at least 10 years now! I make it all from scratch - cake, filling, and frosting. It's an excellent recipe that - while time consuming - is always enjoyed.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

This recipe was on the front cover of Famiy Circle Feb 1977. I still have the clipping for the magazine. This is a great recipe. I no longer make it from scratch but use cake mixes just adding the rind and coloring. I also have used canned frosting. I sometimes decorate it with Easter candy.