CRANBERRY ORANGE CAKE

 I missed going in to Hillcrest Thrift Shop to clean when Jay and Justin were here working on our home improvement projects because Wayne was playing golf that Monday. I did get to go the next week and took this special Cranberry Orange Cake for the volunteers. I cleaned for two hours and there were about 6 or 7 slices still left. I took them off and placed them on a paper plate so some people could enjoy a slice with their lunch. Most people could easily name what they thought it was since the taste of the cranberries and orange juice was so prevalent. 

As usual I made the cake on the day before, Sunday, so Wayne and I enjoyed a piece while the cake was still slightly warm. It was delicious, but I ate a crumb or two the next day and it was really good then also. 

Warning: When I tried to invert the cake over my cake plate, the cake wouldn't release. I waited and beat on it, turned it back right side up and ran the knife around the edges again, and repeated the process. Finally when it released a section was stuck to the pan. I was able to work it out as one piece and filled in the hole. If you knew to look for it, you could see it when you looked at the cake. I wrote the directions the way I would do it the next time. Grease and flour the pan first before sprinkling the sugar and cranberries in. All the recipe said was to spray the pan with cooking spray and then sprinkle sugar and cranberries in.

It is such a pretty cake!

CRANBERRY ORANGE CAKE

1-1/2   cups flour

2         teaspoons baking powder

1/4      teaspoon salt

1         cup sour cream (I use light sour cream)

1         cup sugar

3         large eggs

zest of one orange - about 1 tablespoon (I used dried orange peel)

juice of an orange (I used 1/4 cup orange juice)

1/2      cup butter, room temperature

2         tablespoons sugar

1-1/2   cups fresh cranberries, cut in half

For the icing:

1          cup powdered sugar

2-3       tablespoons water, milk, or orange juice (I used orange juice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the cranberries on the bottom of the pan. Set aside. (Hope your read my warning above.) 

Cream together the butter and sugar until

sugar turns a lemon color, about 4 - 5 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time and

mix in until incorporated.

Add the orange juice and zest.

Then add the sour cream.

When incorporated, add the flour, salt, and baking powder that you have blended together.

When this is all mixed together,

stir in the remaining 1-1/4 cups cranberries.

Top the sugar/cranberries in the pan with the cake batter. Smooth out.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Test cake with a toothpick or press on center around the cake. Let cake set for 5 minutes after you take it out of the oven. Loosen around edges with a knife. Turn over cake onto cake plate or wire rack to cool.

Mix up glaze/topping ingredients and

spread on top and sides of cake. 

Cover cake to serve later.