Daffodil Cake

This daffodil cake is light and airy with marbled layers of white angel food cake and yellow sponge cake. With a light orange taste, this vintage cake recipe is perfect for any spring event!

With lovely colors of both yellow and white, this daffodil cake actually resembles the flower after which it is named! It’s perfect for any spring event from Easter to Mother’s Day with its cheerful, sunny color.

This old fashioned cake has been around for years but is a great reminder that a classic cake never goes out of style. The rich taste of the sponge cake is the perfect contrast to the delicate angel food cake making it worthy to be served at any celebration! 

It has a light orange taste, similar to my orange madeira cake although you could use lemon instead like in my lemon layer cake!

Why You’ll Love Old Fashioned Daffodil Cake

• Classic cake: Whether you call it a vintage cake or an old-fashioned daffodil cake recipe, it’s a two-in-one cake your great-grandma may have made!
• Simple for spring: With flavors of orange and vanilla, this cake is light, flavorful and the combination seems sunny just like the welcoming of spring and daffodil flowers!

Recipe Ingredients

• Pastry flour: I recommend using pastry flour or cake flour for the best light texture in the cake. 
• Cornstarch: Gives the cake a soft and tender texture. 
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweet taste.
• Eggs: You will need 6 egg yolks and 12 egg whites. Eggs will need to be at room temperature.
• Vanilla extract: Adds rich flavor to the cake.
• Cream of tartar: This stabilizes the egg whites to prevent them from deflating and falling.
• Salt: Just a pinch balances the flavors. 
• Orange zest: You will need the zest from one orange.
• Orange juice: A few Tablespoons of fresh orange juice gives the cake a light citrus taste. 
• Orange glaze: Powdered sugar and orange juice combine for a citrusy glaze.
• Garnish: For the top of the cake, orange slices or additional orange zest. 

Substitutions and Variations

• Flavoring: The beauty of this cake with its marbled layers is you can add different flavorings if you would like! Try lemon extract, coconut, orange extract or almond extract instead of vanilla.
• Additional citrus flavor: Along with the orange juice, add up to a teaspoon of lemon zest! Or use some of each. 
• Glaze: Instead of an orange glaze, use lemon juice for a lemon glaze like I do with my lemon pound cake or just use milk and vanilla for a vanilla glaze!
• Layer instead of marble: For a different look, layer the batters instead of dropping them into a marbled pattern. 

How to Make a Daffodil Cake

Sift dry ingredients: In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cornstarch and ¾ cup of sugar three times. 

Make angel cake batter: In the clean bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites, vanilla extract, cream of tartar and salt on medium-high speed until soft, stiff peaks form. Add ½ cup of sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time and continue beating until meringue batter reaches medium peaks. Gently fold in the flour mixture, ¼ at a time until just incorporated.

Make yellow  batter: In another medium bowl beat the yolks, orange zest and juice and remaining sugar on high speed until the egg yolk mixture is light in color and thickened. Fold in ⅓ of the white mixture just until combined.

Bake: In an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, alternate dropping spoonfuls of yellow and white batter to give it a marble effect. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes.

Cool cake: Cool the cake upside down in the pan resting on top of a cooling rack. Let it hang until completely cooled. To remove the cake from the pan, run a knife around the sides of the cake.

Glaze: Combine glaze in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the cooled cake and let it set. Garnish with orange slices or zest. Enjoy!

Expert Tips to Make a Daffodil Cake

• Sifting: Don’t skip sifting the dry ingredients to ensure the cake has a light and airy texture! 
• Clean mixing bowl: When whipping the meringue for the angel food cake, ensure the mixing bowl is completely clean! Any amount of fat can prevent the meringue from setting up properly. I recommend a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl.
• Ungreased tube pan: Angel food cake needs to cling to the sides of the pan for a higher rise and a greased pan will prevent this!
• Use a serrated knife for slicing: Angel food cake has a delicate sponge texture and a regular knife will squash the cake as you try to slice it. A serrated knife using a sawing motion will give you clean slices!
• More yellow color: Use farm fresh eggs for more vibrant yellow in the sponge cake or add a few drops of yellow food coloring. It might be cheating a little to use food dye, but the pop of color really looks nice!
• Swirl the batters: Use a knife to gently swirl the batter together like I do with my marble pound cake. Don’t over swirl though or the yellow will overtake the white.

What is a Daffodil Cake?

This vintage cake is said to date back to the 1930’s having originally appeared in a Better Homes and Garden Cookbook. It was a great way for home cooks to use leftover egg yolks after making an angel food cake. Whether the 1930s or 1950’s, I am sure glad this cake was documented in many parish cookbooks, Good Housekeeping magazine and also passed down through the generations! 

Can I decorate the cake with edible flowers?

This would be beautiful and add a professional look to the cake! Use edible flowers for garnish such as citrus blossom, daisies, lavender, violets or pansies and use ones that you have grown yourself free from pesticides or from a reputable grower. 

More Cake Recipes To Try

• Chocolate Fudge Cake
• Homemade Lemon Bundt Cake
• Homemade Cherry Cake
• Lemon Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
• Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes