Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

Submitted by: ANNE DEATON (via JEAN CARNAHAN)

This recipe for Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake actually came to me via Jean Carnahan's column, then via Cathy Salter who knows I am Sicilian. It's a delicious, light cake perfect that I'm very familiar with and one that was a favorite when inviting friends over for coffee/tea on a Sunday afternoon, which was a lovely tradition when I was growing up in a Sicilian/Neapolitan family -- and a tradition I've tried to keep up. There is no need for icing on this cake, but a small dollop of whipped cream is not to be denied. I actually first enjoyed this cake with apricot nectar instead of orange juice, but I think I prefer the orange juice!

Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

Makes 10-12 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 3 large eggs

• 1 and 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice (can use good bottled fresh orange juice)

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons (yes, tablespoons) baking powder

• 2 full tablespoons orange zest (grate orange using finest slits)

• 1 and 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (one cup will do nicely too)
  

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour Bundt pan.
Using high speed, mix sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until light in color (about 3 min). Mix dry ingredients of flour, orange zest, and baking powder. On low speed, mix orange juice with wet ingredients. Again on slow speed, add dry ingredients to wet ingredients just until well mixed -- about a minute. Do not over mix.

Pour into bundt pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until cake tester comes out clean. Stores well in airtight container and freezes well. Enjoy!

Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Then invert onto rack and flip over onto another rack so that cake is sitting upright. Cook on rack for one hour. When completely cool, move to serving plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Optional: Serve with a small dollop of whipped cream.