CITRUS CAKE WITH LIME GLAZE

I baked this cake with my dear friend Craig Morgan, who’s best known for his singing and songwriting. I just love his song “This Ole Boy.” Craig is an all-around great guy. He served in the Army’s 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, and even when he was well into his career in Nashville continued to serve in the Army Reserves for an additional nine years. He’s worked for years with the USO, traveling the world to entertain the troops and bringing them a little piece of home to offer comfort. When we got together in the kitchen to make this cake, I could hardly get the batter in the pan—he spied those beaters, and there was no keeping him from licking them!

Makes 1 Bundt cake

CAKE

COOKING SPRAY

10 TABLESPOONS (1¼ STICKS) BUTTER, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

1⅓ CUPS GRANULATED SUGAR

3 EGGS, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

1 VANILLA BEAN, SPLIT OPEN

2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER

PINCH OF SALT

GRATED ZEST OF 2 ORANGES

⅔ CUP FRESH ORANGE JUICE

GLAZE

1¼ CUPS POWDERED SUGAR

ZEST AND JUICE OF 1 LIME

1. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Coat a Bundt cake pan with cooking spray.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is well incorporated before you add the next. Scrape the vanilla seeds out of the bean into the batter.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Combine the orange zest and juice in a small bowl.

4. Add the flour mixture and orange juice to the creamed mixture in 5 alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Scrape any flour from the sides of the bowl. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan.

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Check with a toothpick every 10 minutes, starting at 35 minutes. Place on a cooling rack until the cake pulls away from the pan, about 20 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar and lime juice in a small bowl until incorporated.

7. Flip the cake out of the pan onto a serving plate. Pour the glaze all over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with lime zest.

SOUTHERN SIMPLE: If Key limes are available, use those. If not, regular limes will do. However you get there, the combination of orange and lime in this cake has the bright flavor of a Florida vacation.

SOUTHERN MOTHER: I did it, you did it. We all did it: licked the beaters. People say you shouldn’t eat cake batter because of the raw egg. If you’re concerned about this, lick the whisk when you make the lime glaze instead!