Atty’s Rich and Delicious Orange Cake!

The title says it all. Yet another of my old friend Atty’s fabulous cakes. It keeps well and needs to rest and absorb all those flavours for a few days before cutting. A great dessert for a special occasion, served with clotted cream! Yeah! In total I used 3 medium oranges.

You will need a 7 inch cake tin, with the base lined. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C.

6 oz softened butter

6 oz caster sugar

3 beaten eggs

6 oz SR flour

1 tablespoonful grated orange zest

2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the beaten eggs, one a time, Fold in the sifted flour then add the zest and enough juice to give you a soft dropping consistency.

Tip into your prepared tin and bake for about 35-40 mins. Turn onto a rack after a few mins. While your cake is starting to cool, prepare the amazing icing.

The Icing:

8 oz icing sugar

¼ pint [5 fl oz] fresh orange juice.

1 tablespoonful orange liqueur or brandy

1 heaped teaspoonful grated orange zest

In a medium bowl, sift the icing sugar and allow to dissolve in the orange juice and brandy.

Stir in the zest.

Stand the cooling rack over a large plate and using a very fine knitting needle or similar, make fine holes all over the cake. Spoon over the icing. Carefully collect the run off on the plate and continue to spoon it over until the cake has absorbed all of the juice.

Oh wow. When absolutely cold, wrap the cake in parchment or foil and place in an airtight tin in a cool place for about 3 days before tucking in.

A very special cake.

Note: you are pouring a large amount of liquid into the warm cake after baking. Don’t worry if it sinks a little while you are doing this.