Naughty but Nice Orange Pecan Cake
Serves 8 to 10
I normally bake on a Sunday. This dates back to my childhood when I used to bake with my mother every Sunday morning. Sundays were always the best day of the week for food in our home, just for the selection my mother would make for our roast dinner (lunch really). My favorite dishes were either beef and Yorkshire puddings, roast chicken and stuffing, lamb with freshly made mint sauce, and roast pork and baked apples. The meals were always followed by bread and butter pudding or freshly baked rice pudding. Yes, baked rice pudding with a crust on top from the whole egg my mother would add to the rice as it cooked in the oven. Another favorite dessert was apple and blackberry crumble with custard. Afternoon tea was even better with a selection of bacon and egg quiche, sausage rolls, pasties, or freshly made sandwiches cut into wedges. My mother’s cakes were the best of all. She was best known for her chocolate cake, which was truly to die for, as well as her lemon, orange, coffee and assorted fruit cakes. Every one of them was delicious in their own right.
My Sunday dinners still revolve around a roast of some kind, but the majority of the plate is made up of fresh, in-season vegetables with a small amount of meat. Afternoon tea has evolved into a large salad or homemade hummus with baked pitta chips or salsa with vegetable chips. The one thing that has not changed is cake. I make one every week. My three boys and I have a slice each on a Sunday afternoon, normally with a “cuppa” English tea. Then we might have a slice or two during the week as a snack after school or work. I cannot imagine life without cake. Even if you are trying to eat a healthier diet, you can slip a slice of cake in and not feel guilty about it. We all need a little naughty along with what’s good and nice.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup soft butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 orange, juice and zest of
1 cup chopped pecans
How to make:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8-inch cake tin with oil. Sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt in medium size bowl. Set aside.
Whip the sugar and butter together until creamy. Stir in the flour mixture just until blended and then the eggs, and orange juice and zest. Mix until thick and creamy. Fold in the pecans. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove from the tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve.