Orange Chiffon Layer Cake with Almond-Orange Italian Meringue Buttercream has a light and springy, yet moist and tender crumb, and the cake’s lightness is balanced perfectly by the buttercream’s richness.

Growing up, my mom made orange chiffon cake in the shape of a lamb every single Easter. It was frosted with vanilla buttercream and coated in coconut, and she used black jelly beans for the eyes. If I remember correctly, a few years she even dyed coconut green so the little lamb could rest on a bed of grass, and also placed a few robin’s egg candies around for color.

It was beautiful; an heirloom recipe that my mom got from her grandmother, and my mom used her grandmother’s lamb-shaped mold to make it. The only problem was that I didn’t care much for the cake itself! Until somewhat recently, I’ve never had much of a taste for citrus-flavored sweet treats; as an adult I discovered how lovely and refreshing they can be.…