On the Menu...

We were given some fresh oranges from family over the Christmas break and they will be going bad pretty soon.  I do not like to waste fresh fruit (or veggies) so I decided I would make something sweet with these oranges.  After spending my morning converting European measurements to US measurements (and a quick run to Kroger for more flour), I decided to make a Sicilian Orange Cake. 

For cake:

• 1 cup of butter (2 sticks)
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 1/4 cups of finely granulated sugar (you can put sugar in blender or food processor and beat until fine..not powder)
• 85 ml freshly squeezed orange juice

For icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 5 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 350. Grease round cake pan.

Mix (with electric mixer) sugar and butter in bowl for about 5 minutes (until pale). Mix in orange zest. Then mix in eggs (one at a time).  When you add the last egg, throw in a tsp of flour to keep it from curdling.  Add all the flour all at once and mix.  Next, add in your orange juice and mix until well blended.  You will now add the mixture into round well-greased cake pan and pop in oven for about 45 minutes.  I always check my cakes/breads/etc with toothpick. If you insert toothpick in middle of cake and it comes out clean, then you should take it out.  If your cake us starting to really brown on top and it is not finished inside, then top the cake with loose aluminum foil to keep it from burning.

Let cake cool in pan on wire rack.

While it is cooling, make the icing. Just add the powdered sugar and orange juice until it makes a spreadable icing.  I added 1/2 tsp more than what it called for because I really wanted it to drip down the sides of the cake for a prettier presentation.  I also saved a pinch of the orange zest to sprinkle on top.Turn pan upside down to release cake and then flip it back over.  I put my cake on a cake pedestal and then spooned over the icing.

Voila! You have a beautiful Sicilian Orange Cake. Perfect with a cup of tea for breakfast or an after dinner treat.