ROSE’S ORANGE RUM CAKE (for eight)

NOTE:  If possible, have all ingredients at room temperature

For the cake:

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup granulated sugar

grated rinds of 2 oranges and 1 lemon

2 eggs

2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk (or half a cup sour cream diluted with half a cup milk)

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

For the glaze:

Juice of 2 large oranges and 1 lemon

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons rum

spiced caramel oranges to accompany

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1. Prepare the grated rinds and juices

2. Grease a 9 or 10 inch tube pan (if using a fluted fancy pan, be sure it holds at least 2 quarts when filled to the brim with water).

3. Turn the oven on to 350*.

4. With an electric beater or wooden spoon (or rubber spatula) beat the butter until fluffy.

5. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating after each addition. (Remember, the secret to making a really good cake is to beat your butter and then add the sugar.  Beat butter and sugar together a total of 2 minutes with a standing electric mixer, 4 minutes with a hand held mixer). Then, add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

6. Sift the flour, then lightly spoon it into a measuring cup. Pour 2-1/2 cups into a sifter (do not use cake or self-rising flour).  Add baking powder, soda and salt to the mixture.  Sift onto waxed paper.

7. Add the flour to the butter mixture, a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth. Fold in the chopped walnuts and rinds.

8. Pour the batter into the buttered tube pan (make sure the tube is greased as well as the sides), and bake about 1 hour. The cake is done when it shrinks from the sides of the pan and springs back when pressed lightly with your finger – or, when a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out smooth and clean.

9. Meanwhile, strain the orange and lemon juices into a saucepan. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons rum.

10. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven. Bring the mixture in the saucepan to a boil and spoon it over the hot cake, giving it time to absorb.  Let the cake stand a day or two before serving.  The cake can be stored in the pan in which it was baked, covered with aluminum foil.  It will keep at least 2 weeks if stored in the refrigerator.

NOTE:  To give this a Caribbean taste, add 4 tablespoons Blue Mountain “Burnt Sugar” to the batter, 4 more tablespoons to the glaze before boiling it down, and 2 tablespoons to the caramel oranges.  This will result in a much darker cake.