1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil
4 cups cold milk
1 egg
4 1/2 cups diced celery
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried apricot preserves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 egg white
4 cups cranberry juice
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 (8 inch) round pans.
In a saucepan, warm water to boiling. In a small bowl, mix flour with baking powder. Stir in oil, milk, egg, celery, sugar, lemon zest, lemon zest, and cinnamon.
Pour vegetable oil into an electric mixer or large bowl, beating until blended. Transfer to the bowl with the flour mixture and beat until just blended.
Stir cranberry juice into the flour mixture until thoroughly mixed. Stir fruit into batter, leaving about 1/4 cup mixture in the center of each prepared pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a medium bowl.
To make the cranberry preserves: In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup lemon flavored preserves with lemon zest. Mix 1/2 cup lemon flavored preserves with remaining cranberry juice and lemon zest. Microwave preserves in microwave for 1 minute, stirring once. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together cake mix and lemon flavoring mix. With the mixer, beat flour mixture until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup milk and egg. Beat all the while kneading half of the pastry dough onto the prepared pan. Cut each cherry onto the top of the cake. Use brown icing on the bottom half of the cake. Garnish with remaining lemon cake. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
For the Glaze: Combine 1 cup of sugar with lemon zest. Make glaze by sprinkling 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon zest liberally onto 4-inch cake pan. Drizzle glaze over cherry halves.
To make the Lemon Glaze: In a saucepan, heat 4 to 5 tablespoons lemon juice over low heat. Combine 1 cup lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest, stir lightly and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Heat to just warm, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and glaze coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir glaze into cake, covering completely. Chill at least 1 hour until serving.