Orange Pomander Cake

Orange Pomander Cake

Cakes & Muffins, Desserts
Party Food, Holidays

Serves 8-10

Fragrant with orange and spices, this unusual and easy cake is lovely for the holidays (and makes a tall and handsome addition to a buffet table). If you have a fancy bundt pan, use it here.

Ingredients #

  • Equipment #

    • 10-cup bundt cake pan, thoroughly greased and floured

  • For the Cake #

    • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
    • 1 1/2 cup sugar
    • 4 eggs
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 1/2 cup orange juice
    • 2 tbsp grated orange zest
    • 1 tsp orange oil (such as Boyajian), optional
    • 2 tsp vanilla
    • 2 1/2 cups flour
    • 1 tsp double-acting baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • Scant 1/2 tsp ground cloves
    • Scant 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
    • A pinch of salt

  • For the Icing: #

    • 2 cups confectioners sugar
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp heavy cream
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla

  • For decoration: #

    • Strips or dice of candied orange peel (optional)

Instructions #

Make the Cake: #

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy (this is an important step to achieve the correct texture in the cake). Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the sour cream, orange juice, orange zest, orange oil and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture and beat until well-combined. Spoon the batter into the ring mold, distributing it evenly. Rap the pan against the counter a few times to release any large bubbles.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about an hour, until a cake tester inserted to the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake stand in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Invert the cake onto a rack and allow to cool completely.

Make the Icing: #

Combine all icing ingredients except cream and vanilla in a bowl and stir until completely combined (this will be a dry and crumbly mixture, but get it as smooth as you can). Add the cream and vanilla, and stir just until fully incorporated and smooth.

Once the cake is completely cool, frost the top of the cake and top with strips of good-quality candied orange peel (such that each slice will have one strip of peel).