Louisiana Cajun Orange Cake

Submitted by LadyAngel1124

"I translated this recipe from my high school French textbook something like 18 years ago. I know that the ground-up whole orange part sounds a little weird, but don't worry--it keeps the cake from being too sweet, and the slight bitterness the pith adds to it actually works quite well. (Prep time is estimated)"

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Yields: 1 cake
• Serves: 12-24

ingredients

• 1 orange, cut in pieces (with rind)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1⁄3 cup pecans (or other nuts)
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1⁄4 cup orange juice (about 1 orange)
• 1⁄4 cup pecans
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut one orange into pieces, remove all pits.
3. Grind orange pieces, rind and all, in a blender or food processor.
4. Remove ground orange pulp to a small bowl.
5. Grind nuts and raisins.
6. Add nut and raisin mixture to ground orange pulp and mix.
7. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
8. Add milk and margarine, and beat for 2 minutes.
9. Add eggs, beat another 2 minutes.
10. Add orange, nut and raisin mixture, and mix well with a large spoon.
11. Pour into a greased and floured 13 x 9" pan.
12. Bake 40-50 minutes.
13. While cake is baking, combine remaining nuts, sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
14. Turn cake onto a serving plate and drizzle with orange juice.
15. Sprinkle with topping mixture.
16. Serve, and enjoy!
17. NOTE: To make this cake in a bundt pan, increase baking time by about 10 minutes.