The time came for my parents to board a Delta flight to Atlanta as they do every summer. And as usual, I was thrilled to show them around the beautiful city I call home, and take them to all of my favorite culinary spots. However, as many of you will find, the time you spend with your parents brings up nostalgic memories of times past, and in my family, memories and thoughts of good times often centered around the kitchen. If I had to name one dish that I missed and craved the most, it would without a doubt be my grandmother's Orange Cake.
My grandmother was known for a number of delicious eats, but this heavenly cake had to be one of my favorites. From the texture to the sweet orange flavor, I can practically taste it now. I came to the conclusion that I would attempt to make the cake for my parents, as they also had expressed on numerous occasions that they would do almost anything for a slice of the decadent dessert. So there I was on a mission (with the handwritten recipe in hand) to replicate this dessert that I had so loved growing up. I must admit, no one can exactly replicate their grandmother's cooking, but having said that, I did make a cake that in the end quelled those cravings and tasted pretty delicious.
Grandma’s Orange Cake
· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
· 3/4 cup sugar
· 2 large eggs
· 1/2 cup sour cream
· 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Glaze
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup orange juice
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch round baking pan with your favorite non-stick cooking spray. Beat butter & sugar together in mixer until fully incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time until each is mixed in. Add in all remaining ingredients until just combined-overmixing will result in a rubbery cake. Bake cake for 35 minutes. Check every 10 minutes with toothpick and watch carefully, as everyone's oven is different.
While the cake is baking, grab a saucepan and simmer glaze ingredients on medium. When desired consisently is achieved, turn heat to low.
When your cake has turned to a nice golden brown color, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. When the cake is cool to the touch, poke holes in cake so cake will absorb the glaze and become more moist as it sits.
After you have poked the holes, pour glaze on cake. Finish cake with a dusting of orange zest.
I made this in the morning. Do you know how hard it was to convince myself that it wouldn't make a delicious breakfast? (And that my parents might want a slice!)
