This “momma cake” is moist in texture, rich with chunks of oranges, raisins and walnuts and fragrantly spiced with cinnamon. I learned it from Marion Wilke, who entered it in a citrus cooking contest I judged.
10 SERVINGS
1 |
navel orange |
1 |
cup raisins |
1 |
cup sugar |
½ |
cup shortening |
2 |
large eggs |
¾ |
cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk |
2 |
cups cake flour |
1 |
teaspoon ground cinnamon |
1 |
teaspoon baking soda |
½ |
teaspoon baking powder |
1 |
cup chopped walnuts |
1 |
cup confectioners’ sugar |
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Scrub the rind of the orange well. Cut off both ends of the orange, then cut it into large chunks. Set aside.
Place the raisins in a food processor and pulse 6 or 7 times until coarsely chopped. Add the orange chunks and pulse 5 or 6 times to reduce them to equal-size small pieces. Empty into a small bowl and set aside.
Pulse the sugar and shortening together in the food processor 4 or 5 times to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time and process in between, scraping down the sides. The mixture should be smooth, light and fluffy. Add ¾ cup of the buttermilk and process to combine. The mixture will be very liquid and may look slightly separated.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder and add to the processor. Pulse just to combine into a smooth batter. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the orange-raisin mixture for the topping. Add the remaining orange-raisin mixture to the processor and pulse once or twice. Add the walnuts and pulse once; do not overprocess.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the sides have begun to brown and pull away from the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. The cake should still be a little moist in the center.
Whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk and the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Whisk in the reserved orange-raisin mixture and spread the icing over the hot cake. Serve at room temperature.