Soaked Orange Pound Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium navel oranges
- 1 cup granulated sugar or 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- SYRUP
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- Garnish:
- Candied Orange Slices (see directions, below)
- 2 scrubbed thin-skinned oranges in thin rounds. 2 cups each sugar and water
DIRECTIONS
- Heat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8- to 12-cup tube or bundt pan.
- Scrub and dry oranges. With a vegetable peeler, remove colored part of peel (zest) and measure: You need a packed 1/3 cup. Squeeze oranges; reserve 1/3 cup juice for Syrup.
- Process zest and sugar in a food processor until zest is very finely chopped. (Or grate unpeeled oranges and add zest to sugar in bowl.) Sugar will be very damp; that's OK. Scrape into bowl in which you will make the batter.
- Add butter and vanilla; beat with mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to medium; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each. Beat in baking powder and salt, scraping bowl often.
- With mixer on low speed, sprinkle in flour and beat just until blended. Don't overmix. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake 45 to 55 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, mix Syrup ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and syrup is hot. Remove from heat.
- Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Poke about 36 holes in cake with a long skewer. Brush cake with all but about 1 Tbsp warm syrup. The surface will look quite wet. Let soak 10 to 15 minutes.
- Loosen edges, turn cake out on rack and cool completely. Brush with remaining 1 Tbsp syrup and decorate with Candied Orange Slices.
- FOR CANDIED ORANGE SLICES
- Slice 2 scrubbed thin-skinned oranges in thin rounds. Bring 2 cups each sugar and water to boil in a wide skillet. Add slices, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until slices are translucent. Cool. To use, lift slices from syrup, letting excess drip off.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
I got this recipe from the cookbook ELIZABETH ALSTON'S BEST BAKING: 80 RECIPES FOR ANGEL FOOD CAKES, CHIFFON CAKES, COFFEE CAKES, POUND CAKES, TEA BREADS, AND THEIR ACCOMPANIMENTS. It makes a great cake and is really a great looking cake. Much easier than I thought it would be the first time and looks like you have really gone all out. Give it a try guys.
Orange syrup and candied orange slices make this cake look and taste exquisite.
Planning Tip: For best flavor, wrap airtight and store one day at room temperature before serving or freezing.