Those who know me know that my warm-weather drink of choice is an Aperol Spritz...and yes, it's still hotter then Hades here in Palm Springs. So yes, the Aperol Spritzes are, in a word, flowing. And since I also love cake...why not bring the two together? So, for your next adult birthday party, or backyard get together, or really...whatever, surprise your guests with this lovely, orange-infused Aperol Spritz Cake! You'll thank me later.
Prep: Preheat oven to 325. Grease/spray 3 8-inch round cake pans.
Make the cake: In your mixer, combine 2 sticks of softened unsalted butter, zest of two oranges, and 1 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until fluffy, then beat in three eggs, followed by 1/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup orange juice. For your dry ingredients, whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking soda, and a teaspoon of salt. Now beat the dry into the wet, until well combined.
Now bake!: Distribute the batter evenly between the three cake pans, and cook for about 35 minutes. Let them cool slightly in the pans, then pop out and finish cooling on a wire rack. Now brush Aperol on the tops of all three cakes (about 1/4 cup will do it).
Make the frosting: Beat together 2 pounds of powdered sugar with 4 sticks of unsalted softened butter, until creamy. Add 3 tablespoons of orange juice and 3 tablespoons of Aperol, as well as food coloring. (If you have them, use a drop of orange/yellow/red...for this cake, I used a few drops of yellow and a few drops of red...up to you!). Frost one layer at at time, building up, until the cake is well frosted in the layers and on the outside. Pretty it up with a few orange slices, and you are good to go!