Four Citrus Mini Bundt Cakes

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 60 mins

Total Time: 90 mins

Serves: 12

Did you know that this year is a Leap Year?

Fresh citrus flavors and tender pound cake come together in these brunch-ready mini Bundt cakes. This recipe has 4 different types of citrus making it a great recipe to make on this coming leap day — since as you know a leap year occurs every 4 years! Citrus are also used to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

In Lunar New Year traditions, revelers believe tangerines, oranges and pomelos bring good fortune. Their Mandarin names echo words with symbolic meanings: "jú" for oranges suggests "good luck" or "fortune," "chéng" for tangerine is akin to "success," and "youzi" for pomelos sounds similar to "have" or "abundance."

Historically, parents from the Qing Dynasty would place oranges near their children's pillows to scare off monsters during the Lunar New Year. And beyond their linguistic connections, the citrus fruits' vibrant colors and round shapes represent vitality and wholeness.

Offering the fruits is seen as an act of good fortune for both hosts and guests, especially when delivered in pairs or multiples. Keep the leaves and stems intact, and they're even bigger symbols of longevity and fertility.

---

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup buttermilk  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated grapefruit zest

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated grapefruit zest

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour individual 6 mini Bundt cakes pan; set aside.

2. Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until well mixed. Add buttermilk, vanilla and lemon, lime, orange and 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest. Continue beating until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat at low speed just until moistened.

3. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pan (about 1/2 cup batter for each cake). Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

4. Combine all glaze ingredients in 2-quart saucepan while cakes are baking. Bring to a full boil. Boil 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Poke bottoms of cakes all over with fork; leave in pan. Drizzle half of glaze over bottoms of warm cakes. Let cakes cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling rack; glaze tops with remaining glaze. Let stand 30 minutes or until glaze is set.

5. Serve with sweetened whipped cream, if desired!

NOTES

To make in a regular 12-cup Bundt pan, double cake ingredients and bake 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Double glaze ingredients; follow remaining directions accordingly.

photo and recipe credits to Land O’ Lakes Kitchen