Thanksgiving Orange Cake

An exquisite tasting, beautiful showpiece for your Thanksgiving table this year, is the Thanksgiving Orange Cake. So yummy that your guest will be asking for a second slice! This cake has such a sweet aroma as it is baking, that it fills the air with the fragrance of fresh orange citrus. Make this cake one of your holiday centerpieces by displaying it on a gorgeous pedestal cake platter!

Recipe for Thanksgiving Orange Cake

Grease the pan with crisco, then dust with flour.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 4 large eggs, separated
* 1 large orange
* 1 cup carton orange juice
* 3 cups cake flour

Glaze:

* 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
* 2 tablespoons orange juice
* 1/2 teaspoon reserved orange zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch pound cake pan.

2. Put the butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until soft. While the mixer is running, gradually add the sugar, and beat until the mixture is creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and separate the eggs. Set aside the egg whites.

3. Add the egg yolks to the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time, and beat on medium-low until well combined before adding the next yolk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Set aside.

4. Zest the orange, and add 1 teaspoon of the zest to the butter and sugar mixture. Reserve 1/2 teaspoon or more zest for the glaze. Cut the orange in half, and juice the orange into a measuring cup. (Be sure to remove the seeds). Add enough carton orange juice to measure 1 cup. Alternatively add the sifted flour and orange juice to the mixing bowl, beating on low speed until combined and smooth, 1 minute. Set aside.

5. With clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the beaten whites on top of the batter, and with the rubber spatula, fold the whites into the batter until the batter is smooth. Turn the batter into the prepared pan, and place the pan in the oven.

6. Bake until the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed, about 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and place the pan on a wire rack to cool 15 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Place the sifted confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in the orange juice and zest until smooth. Set aside.

8. Run a knife around the edges of the cake pan. Turn the cake right-side up on the rack. With a large meat fork, make holes in the top of the cake. Carefully spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it soak into the cake before adding more. Let the cake rest 1 hour, then slice and serve.

9. Enjoy!