A half of an orange is just as sweet and good as a whole orange.
By Donna Zitter Bordelon
Oranges aren’t really in season right now, but there was a request for “that orange cake you used to make,” and since it was Father’s Day, I had to oblige.
Eating an orange is an excellent way to ensure a daily intake of vitamin C, and oranges are a good source of potassium. Spanish explorers and settlers planted the first orange trees in Florida near St. Augustine in the 1500s. Later, oranges were grown in the gardens of all the missions of Southern California from trees raised from seed that was brought from Mexico.
Making recipes that use oranges always brings to mind a favorite sermon by a priest who used to be in residence at my local parish. In one particular sermon, he spoke about people amassing “stuff” and the modern tendency to want more and more. This acquisitive, greedy tendency, he thought, was really at the root of much unhappiness. Never long-winded, he always gave you something to take home and think about. He summarized his message with an analogy about oranges. His message came down to this: “A half of an orange is just as sweet and good as a whole orange. So go home, and enjoy that half of an orange.” Without a doubt, Father Boylan’s orange analogy got to the pith of the matter.
This orange cake is a one-bowl, easy-to-make cake that has been a favorite family dessert for as long as I can remember. My mom made it frequently, but she originally got the recipe from her sister-in-law, Hilda.
AUNT HILDA’S ORANGE CAKE
¾ cup butter
2¾ cup flour
1¾ cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
Grated rind from 1 orange
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
4 eggs
Grease and flour a tube pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter.
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Stir in the milk.
Add the rind and extracts and beat 1 minute.
Add eggs and beat for 3 minutes.
Bake for 1 hour or until cake starts to pull away from pan, and toothpick inserted into it comes out clean.
Frost the cake using the following icing.
BUTTERCREAM ICING
1½ sticks butter, softened
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 cup milk
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
In a bowl, cream butter. Add 1 cup sugar and beat well.
Add remaining ingredients and beat until creamy.
Having used the rind of the orange for the above cake, the fruit segments can be added to the following creamy frozen fruit.
CREAMY FROZEN FRUIT
2½ cups sour cream
2½ Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup drained crushed pineapple
¼ cup maraschino cherries, chopped fine
1 banana, diced
1 orange, cut into pieces
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Mix together the sour cream, lemon juice, sugar and salt.
Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Spoon into small paper or plastic cups, or fill popsicle holders.
Freeze until firm.
Eat well, live long, enjoy!
(Questions or tips can be sent to Donna Zitter Bordelon at [email protected] or in care of the Times, 2 Executive Campus, Suite 400, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002)
Recipe Winner:
Congratulations to Peggie Hagan, who submitted the following recipe, and was chosen in a random drawing. Peggie is the May winner of a $100 ShopRite gift card. Here is her recipe.
ORZO SALAD WITH WATERMELON AND FETA CHEESE
1 cup uncooked orzo
2 cups watermelon, diced, seedless
½ cup Feta cheese
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup fresh basil, cut into thin strips
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Boil water. Add orzo and return water to a boil.
Cook for 8–10 minutes. Drain orzo and rinse with cold water.
(Drain completely.)
When cool, toss with remaining ingredients, and enjoy!
The recipe submissions have been wonderful. Please remember to include exact measurements in your recipes. You could be June’s lucky winner. Send your recipe to:
Readers’ Recipes
c/o Northeast Times
2 Executive Campus
Suite 400
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Or email your recipe to [email protected].
Please include your name, home address and telephone number. ••
