Flavors of Paradise: An orange cake for the ages
Orange cake recipes are very easy to find, especially in Florida. Today's recipe is from The Sanibel-Captiva Cookbook, printed in the early 1980s as a fundraiser for the Children's Center of the Islands. Mrs. Morris Behrend (Molly) submitted the recipe which was attributed to Mrs. D. A. Lincoln and dated 1887. Unlike most of the historic recipes we share, this one was updated to work in modern kitchens so everyone can savor the flavor. Molly noted that, while the recipe does include a recipe for orange icing, "Chocolate icing is terrific on this cake."
Flavors of Paradise shares recipes with historic ties to Southwest Florida. Changes and substitutions may be needed to update the recipes for today's kitchens.
Servings 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter or shortening
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- grated rind of one orange
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 3/4 cup pastry flour
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau
- orange marmalade
Instructions
Cake
- Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating briefly after each one, then the orange rind.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Combine orange juice and water, then add dry and wet ingredients alternately to the batter.
- Completely mix cake.
- Pour into two 9-inch layer pans greased and lined with wax paper.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
- Cool, then put layers together with orange marmalade.
Orange icing
- Combine two cups confectioners sugar diluted with warm orange juice and two tablespoons melted butter until nearly the right consistency to spread.
- Add one tablespoon Cointreau, or more, till smooth and soft enough. Cool and frost cake.