Hometown Get-Togethers - Candace Floyd [64]
3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the oats mixture; mix well. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until browned.
4. Preheat the broiler.
5. To prepare the topping, combine the butter, cream, brown sugar, and coconut in a medium bowl; mix well. Spread evenly over the warm cake. Place the cake under the broiler 2 inches from the heat source. Broil until lightly browned, 1 to 1½ minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Old-Fashioned Orange Layer Cake
Pauline Brown, Chinquapin, North Carolina
Serves 12 to 16
“This delicious recipe is probably over seventy-five years old. My aunt used to bake this cake for Christmas and my mother’s birthday dinner.”
CAKE
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
½ cup orange juice
2½ cups self-rising flour
1 cup milk
ICING
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
One 1-pound package confectioners’ sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. To prepare the cake, combine the granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; cream well with a mixer at medium-high speed. Add the eggs and orange zest; blend well.
3. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the orange juice. Add the flour alternately with the milk; beat well. Pour into the prepared pans.
4. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
5. To prepare the icing, combine the butter, orange zest, orange juice, and half of the confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl. Using mixer at low speed, beat until well blended. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar until smooth.
6. When the cake has cooled, place one layer on a decorative plate. Spread about ¾ cup of the icing on the top. Place the second layer on top. Spread the icing in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake.
Orange Pumpkin Sheet Cake
Stacey Bornemann, Center, North Dakota
Serves 12 to 16
“I bake this cake for family birthdays. I have six brothers and sisters, and we usually get together at my parents’ house. I have also taken this cake to work to share with my coworkers.”
CAKE
One 18-ounce package white cake mix
One 3-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 eggs
2/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups puréed pumpkin
FROSTING
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 × 9-inch pan.
2. To prepare the cake, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, cinnamon, eggs, orange juice concentrate, oil, and pumpkin in a large bowl; mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
4. To prepare the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer at low speed until well blended. Add the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice concentrate alternately to the cream cheese mixture. Mix until smooth.
5. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
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TIPS FROM OUR TEST KITCHEN: Applesauce may be substituted for the oil in the cake, if desired.
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Pear Rum Cake with Chocolate Topping
Nancy Piazza, Lucerne, California
Serves 12
“This cake was taken to the Pear Festival BBQ and won best of show. I have also served it many times to our dinner guests. My husband enjoys it very much.”
CAKE
One 18-ounce package yellow cake mix
One 3-ounce package vanilla instant pudding mix
4 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup 80-proof rum
3 large pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
RUM GLAZE
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
½ cup 80-proof rum
TOPPING
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons