Litha ~ Midsummer ~ Summer Solstice, June 20th to June 25th, in the Northern Hemisphere, celebrates the beginning of summer and marks the longest day and the shortest night and although its seen as a time for balance between light and dark, the sun reaches its peak, the power of the sun begins to wane and the days begin to grow shorter and the nights grow longer, it is a return to dark.
As we celebrate Mother Earth, the Goddess and the Sun King, God, think abundance, fertility, renewal and life, as the sun, flowers, plants and the earth are all in full bloom. Bonfires, feasting, singing, dancing and festivals are activities during this time as well as getting outdoors to connect with nature, to celebrate and honour the abundance and growth of the natural world. It's a time for new beginnings, as always with the change of seasons, saying goodbye to self reflection and moving forward and being open with the sun's energy.
Other celebrations around this time are: Golowan (Cornish) Gwyl Ifan Ganol Haf (Wales), Kupala Night/Ivan Kupala (Ukraine), National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada), Saint John's Feast Day/ Saint John's Eve (Christian - Canada, France, Portugal, Spain), St. John's Night, Sobotka or Noc Kupaly (Poland), Adonia (Greece), St. Hans Day (Norway and Denmark), Jānvi (Latvia), Uttarayana (India), World Humanist Day (June 21st), World Environment Day (June 5th), World Refugee Day (June 20th), Juneteenth (US, June 19th) and LGBTQ+Pride Month (June).
A bright summer sun cake baked to golden perfection with much to celebrate and love. Happy Summer Solstice, Midsummer and Litha!
Summer Citrus Cake
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1 1/2 (300 g) cups white sugar
1 cup (240 ml) olive oil
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups (360 g) unbleached all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) orange juice
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
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Orange Glaze:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 butter
Place all ingredients into a pot and simmer until the butter melts, about 2 - 3 minutes. Stir and pour over cooled cake.
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Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and throughly grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Sert aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the white sugar and olive oil. Add the eggs and whisk again until combine and then add the vanilla and orange juice and mix together.
In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the grated orange zest and lemon zest and whisk until combined. Add the flour mixture to the sugar, oil and egg mixture and stir until just combine. Do not overmix the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully invert the cake on to a serving plate, by placing the plate on top of the cake pan and carefully flip it over and gently lift the tin from the cake. Make the orange glaze, see recipe above, and pour it over the cake and sprinkle with additional orange and lemon zest. Slice and serve.