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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
- Prepare the grated rinds and juices
- 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).
- Turn the oven on to 350*.
- With an electric beater or wooden spoon (or rubber spatula) beat the butter until fluffy.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Meanwhile, strain the orange and lemon juices into a saucepan. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons rum.
- 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.
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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.