Citrus Tannenbaum Sheet Cake

Citrus Tannenbaum Sheet Cake
Prep Time:
30 mins
Stand Time:
30 mins
Bake Time:
28 mins
Cool Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
24

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup butter

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 ½ cup sugar

  • 1 ½ teaspoon finely shredded lemon, lime, and/or orange peel

  • 2 tablespoon lemon, lime, and/or orange juice

  • ¾ cup buttermilk or sour milk*

  • 1 recipe Butter Frosting

  • 1 recipe Candied Citrus Slices

  • Chopped pistachio nuts (optional)

Butter Frosting

  • 6 tablespoon butter, softened

  • 1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups)

  • 2 tablespoon milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • ¼ teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel (optional)

  • 1 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Candied Citrus Slices

  • 1 clementines or small oranges

  • 1 lemon

  • 2 kumquats (optional)

  • 1 ½ cup sugar

  • 1 ½ cup water

Directions

  1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour a 13x9x2-inch baking pan;** set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, citrus peel, and citrus juice, beating until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

  3. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. If desired, remove cake from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

  4. Frost cake with Butter Frosting. Using Candied Citrus Slices, arrange clementine and lemon slices in a tree shape on top of cake, decorating with kumquat slices. If desired, sprinkle with pistachios to make a trunk and garland.

Butter Frosting

  1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, the vanilla, and, if desired, lemon peel. Gradually beat in remaining sugar. Beat in enough additional milk to reach spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring.

Candied Citrus Slices

  1. Cut clementines, lemon, and, if desired, kumquats into 1/8-inch slices (if you have trouble cutting kumquats into slices, instead cut them in half). Remove any seeds; set slices aside. In a large skillet or medium saucepan combine sugar and the water. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture begins to simmer and is clear. Reduce heat to medium. Add citrus slices; simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until slices are softened, turning occasionally. Remove from heat; cool. Drain slices on a wire rack; if necessary, pat dry with paper towels.

*Test Kitchen Tip:

To make 3/4 cup sour milk, place 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 3/4 cup total liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

**Test Kitchen Tip:

If you like, you can bake the cake in a 9x2-inch round cake pan for about 45 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

296 Calories
10g Fat
52g Carbs
2g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 24
Calories 296
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 47mg 16%
Sodium 153mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 52g 19%
Total Sugars 45g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 5.9mg 30%
Calcium 40.4mg 3%
Iron 0.5mg 3%
Potassium 51mg 1%
Folate, total 20.2mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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