LSU Tiger Stripe Bundt Cake with Southern Buttermilk Icing

The LSU fans at your gameday party will be cheering even louder than they do in Death Valley once you slice into this surprising LSU Tiger Striped Bundt Cake.

From the outside it just looks like a simple southern pound cake, but pull out a slice and reveal the purple and gold tiger strips marbling throughout the cake. A tangy southern buttermilk icing (died purple, of course!) will taste almost as sweet as a championship win.

Rooting for another team or want to serve this during a holiday or birthday party? Just swap the colors for any two that you love. (You can also add a third by dividing the batter in threes.) Note that no matter what colors you choose, I recommend you use gel food coloring instead of the liquid kind because the colors are more vibrant and it won't affect the texture of your cake or your icing. You can find gel food coloring at most baking and craft stores, or online on Amazon.

This cake can be made a day or two in advance. Store it at cool room temperature under a cake dome, or wrap loosely with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. This cake serves 12 generously, but can also be cut into smaller slices for a larger party or tailgate. 

Pair this cake with my LSU Spiked Blueberry Vodka Lemonade Cocktail!

LSU Tiger Stripe Bundt Cake with Southern Buttermilk Icing

Yields 1 bundt cake (about 12 servings)

Ingredients
For the cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup butter, melted
5 large eggs
1 cup cold whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilaa extract
1/8 teaspoon violet gel food coloring (such as Wilton gel colors)
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoons yellow gel food coloring
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest

For the buttermilk icing
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3-5 tablespoons buttermilk
2 oz cream cheese, softened
violet gel food coloring

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-15 cup bundt or tube pan with baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In the base of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine sugar, melted butter, and eggs, and whip for five minutes until frothy and pale yellow. Add the milk and vanilla and mix in until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix only until fully combined and smooth.

Remove about 1/3 of the batter to a separate bowl. Add the violet food coloring and thee almond extract to this third of batter (thee smaller amount) and mix until the color is even. Set aside.

Repeat with the larger amount of batter, the yellow food coloring, orange extract, and orange zest. Mix until even.

Pour 1/3 of the yellow batter into the prepared bundt pan. Top with dollops of the purple batter. Repeat layering the remaining batter. Do not swirl the batter—it will settle into the tiger pattern during baking.

Bake about 1 hour, or until the cake is fully set, has pulled away from the edges slightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes before turning over onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the buttermilk icing: Use an electric mixer to whisk together confectioner’s sugar, salt, almond extract, softened cream cheese, and 3 tablespoons of buttermilk. Whisk until smooth, adding more buttermilk a teaspoon or so at a time until it reaches desired consistency. Dye with the violet gel food coloring.

Once cake has cooled, turn over and trim the bottom to make a flat surface, then place onto a serving platter. Drizzle with icing. Let icing set 20 minutes before serving.

Store at room temperature under a cake dome.