Orange Butter Sauce

Makes: About 1½ cups

Time: About 20 minutes

We associate Orange Butter Sauce with Crêpes Suzette, but it’s also delicious on Olive Oil Cake, Lady Baltimore Cake, fresh fruit, and piping-hot pancakes or waffles.

• 2 sticks butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• ¾ cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup orange-flavored liqueur, like Grand Marnier

Combine the butter, sugar, orange zest, and orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the butter is melted and the mixture is golden and starts to thicken and caramelize. Remove the pan from the heat, add the liqueur, and then return it to the heat. Continue to whisk the sauce until it’s reduced and syrupy, about 10 minutes.

LEMON BUTTER SAUCE Switch up your citrus, then pour it over Olive Oil Cake: Substitute lemon zest for the orange zest and ½ cup lemon juice for the orange juice. Swap in limoncello for the orange liqueur.

LIME BUTTER SAUCE Try it over Sweet Rice and Coconut Cake or Coconut-Lime Pound Cake: Substitute 2 teaspoons lime zest for the orange zest and ½ cup lime juice for the orange juice. Swap in rum for the orange liqueur.