ORANGE BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE

Dense, moist and delicious, Orange Buttermilk Pound Cake

This is an Ina Garten recipe and it makes 2 loaves of the best orange buttermilk pound cake you’ll ever eat! The orange flavor is absolutely perfect! It’s in the cake by adding a  1/3 cup of orange zest and 1/4 cup of orange juice to the batter.  It’s also topped after it’s baked and still warm with an orange glaze.  It’s melt in your mouth goodness that you can make and freeze for when you want or need an easy delicious treat.  That’s what I’m talking about!  Adorn a slice of pound cake with whipped cream or ice cream, dice it and use it for a trifle for dessert, it’s all at your finger tips when you bake and freeze this delicious cake,( if there’s any left after you’ve tasted it). 

One of the things I started doing a while back is zesting my oranges before I eat them. I put the zest in a freezer bag and keep it frozen until I need it.  I add it to the syrup of the granola recipe I make while it’s cooking and to cake or cookie batters.  My frozen orange zest came in very handy when I made this cake.  I didn’t have 8 inch loaf pans so my pound cakes were made in 9 inch loaf pans, they were perfectly baked with the baking time given in the recipe.

Orange Buttermilk Pound Cake
Ina garten

Ingredients :

2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4  eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated orange zest (about 6 oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Glazes one loaf
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

 

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.

 

1. Cream the butter and 2 cups of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest.2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the orange juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

3. While the cakes bake, cook the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar with the remaining 1/2 cup orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans and place them on a baking rack set over a tray. Spoon the orange syrup over the cakes and allow the cakes to cool completely.

4. To glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Add a few more drops of juice, if necessary, to make it pour easily. Pour over the top of one cake and allow the glaze to dry. Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator or freeze for later use.

http://bunnyswarmoven.net/2014/06/orange-buttermilk-pound-cake