Orange Pound Cake

I saw this cake over at Louanne's Kitchen, where Louanne and five other foodie pals got together to form a group who are baking from Barefoot Contessa's recipes. Ina's Garden was created by these six lovely ladies, and this Orange Pound Cake was the first recipe which is the kick-start for this new blog hop.  For more info on this new group, please drop by Louannes' Kitchen for the full details.

I have never tried baking or cooking from any of Ina Garten's recipes before, this is a first one for me.  In fact, I have watched her shows and seen some of her cookbooks, but have never attempted to try any before. So this cake is a perfect one to start with.

This is a lovely orange pound cake. It is so soft, moist and full of orange flavour. It is good on the first day, even better on the next day! The recipe makes 2 loafs of cake. I only make half the recipe. The original recipe can be found at here , from food.com.

I'm linking this with Ina's Garden over at Louanne's Kitchen, check out what's next on Ina's Garden over at Louanne's.

If you would like to try out this cake and join in the fun, here's the recipe , my measurements for 1/2 the recipe are printed in purple :

Barefoot Contessa's Orange Pound Cake
(source from food.com)
1/2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature (125gm, salted butter)
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided (150gm caster sugar for the cake, additional 2 tbsp for the syrup)
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (2 eggs)
1/3 cup grated orange zest (6 oranges) (I use 2 oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (1/4 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (omitted, as I use salted butter)
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, divided (1/3 cup for the cake, additional 1/4 cup for the syrup)
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature (I use 1/2 cup homemade yoghurt and 1/4 cup milk, stir to mix)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon)

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans.
3. Cream butter and 2 cups of sugar in a bowl
4. Mix in eggs, one at a time, add zest.
5. Sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
6. In another bowl, mix 1/4 cup orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla.
7. Add flour and buttermilk mixture alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with flour.
8. Divide between 2 pans and smooth the tops.
9. Bake for 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
10. Cool for 10 minutes.
11. Make the syrup while cake is baking.
12. Syrup consists of remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice.
13. Cook these together over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
14. Spoon over cakes and then allow them to cool completely.
15. You may glaze these cakes (after cooling) with a simple glaze but I don't usually.

Kitchen Flavours notes :

~ I use baking pan size 8inx5in for half the recipe.

~ I substitute the buttermilk with homemade yoghurt and milk, for 3/4 cup buttermilk substitute with  1/2 cup yoghurt mix with 1/4 cup milk.

~ I reduced the sugar and it is just right, with the right amount of sweetness.
~ I rub the sugar with the zest until the sugar is aromatic and is a lovely orange.
~ Before pouring the syrup over the cake, I poked the cake all over. Do not skip this syrup, as it really makes the cake moist and full of orange flavour.