Citrus Coconut Sunshine Cake

This super easy to make and delicious Citrus Coconut Sunshine Cake is bursting with bright lemon, sweet mandarin oranges, and toasted coconut- just like summer on a fork!

So, the last time I posted a new recipe on here it was near the beginning of summer. I do apologize for the almost 3 month long hiatus, but I promise you all that it was for a very good reason. A very good reason that I can't reveal to everyone just yet, but that I should be able to tell you all about within the next two months or so. ;) So, stay tuned- because it is a pretty BIG. 

In the meantime, I am over here soaking up these last little bits of summertime and digging into this easy to make Citrus Coconut Sunshine Cake. Seriously, folks. This citrusy and bright cake is summer on a fork.

And when I say summer, I mean the pre-Covid, all day at the pool, backyard family BBQ's, beach vacation summer. Because let's face it- this has been a super weird summer. Summer 2019 with its outdoor concerts, and the crowded city pool, and packed restaurant patios seems like a lifetime ago at this point- am I right?

Candied Pomegranate-Mandarin Orange Peel

Combining the sweetness of fresh citrus with just a hint of tart pomegranate, this Candied Pomegranate-Mandarin Orange Peel is a must-make for the holiday season...

I know that the holiday season is usually all about the peppermint and gingerbread and eggnog (and trust me- I love all of those flavors too!), but for me there is nothing more festive than the combination of sweet orange with tart pomegranate or cranberries. 

Maybe it is the color combo of the bright orange and the jeweled red. Maybe it's because I need a pop of sweet & tart flavor to give me a break from all of the warm spices and zippy mint that we are bombarded with this time of the year. But this citrusy, sweet & tart combo is a treat not only for my taste buds, but for my eyes as well. :)

Candied orange peel is one of those recipes I have been wanting to try for myself for a while now. I have made candied lemon slices before, but never orange peel. 

I used mandarin oranges (aka, Halos or Cuties) for this recipe mostly because my youngest is obsessed with them, but it seems like we can never get through an entire bag of them before they go bad. So this candied orange peel recipe is a great way to use up a few of them. And since mandarins are much smaller then regular navel oranges, their peels are already the perfect size for candying.