Orange Cake With Orange Curd Filling...

Esther's cake is made with orange marmalade and it's very, very good...however, I decided to skip the marmalade and instead made orange curd...it was a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself!

This cake is dense and rich, and brightly flavored with orange...it reminds me of the orange dreamsicle ice cream pops I had as a kid. I've made this cake many times, and three times in the last month! I made it for our anniversary, but the mister forgot about our special day and instead went out with his good friend Jack; I was so ticked I cut up the cake and delivered it to friends...he was left with only the crumbs on the cake plate and a dob of frosting...and, of course, I earned another piece of sorry jewelry!

This is the kind of cake you make for a special occasion because it does take a bit of time. You'll want to start with the orange curd because it has to be completely cooled before it is added between the layers. Even though this cake takes time, it is SO worth it. I made one for some friends who practically licked their plates they loved it so much - it did my heart good! And I made one for a fundraiser last month and was told it went for $400!! Too bad they couldn't have tasted it first, I'm sure it would have gone for DOUBLE that amount! Seriously, when you want to impress someone, make them this cake.

Orange Cake With Orange Curd Filling ~ Adapted From Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader

For the Cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing the pans
• 3 1/4 cups cake flour, more for dusting the pans
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• For the Orange Syrup:
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• For the Orange Curd:
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• zest from 1 large orange
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• For the Frosting:
• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 6 to 8 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• zest from one orange
• To make cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly
• butter
• three 9-inch round cake pans, line them with parchment paper, then

lighly

butter and flour the paper, shaking out the excess.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Sift a

second

time into another bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the

butter

on medium speed until light in color, about 4 minutes. Add the 2 2/3

cups

sugar in a steady stream with the mixer running. Beat until light

and fluffy,

about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well

after

each addition. Be sure to stop at least once to scrape down the

batter from

the sides of the bowl. After all the eggs have been added, continue

to beat

on medium speed for 2 more minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add

the oil

and beat for 1 minute. In a small bowl, combine the orange zest,

vanilla,

and buttermilk. Using a rubber spatula, fold in half of the dry

ingredients.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add half of the buttermilk

mixture.

Fold in the remaining dry ingredients, scrape down the sides, and

add the

remaining buttermilk.

Pour the batter among the prepared pans, smooth the surface, rap

each pan

on the counter to expel any air pockets or bubbles, then place in

the oven.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the

center comes

out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans on racks for 20 minutes.

To make the orange syrup: In a small bowl, stir together the

orange juice

and 1/4 cup sugar until the sugar is dissolved. While the cakes are

still

in the cake pans, use a toothpick or skewer to poke holes at

1/2-inch intervals

in the cake layers. Spoon the syrup over each layer, allowing the

syrup to

be completely absorbed before adding the remainder. Let the layers

cool completely

in the pans.

To make the orange curd: In a small heavy saucepan, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk

in the sugar, then whisk in the citrus juices and zests. Add the butter

and whisk constantly over moderately low heat until the mixture

thickens, about 8 minutes; do not let it boil. Immediately strain the

curd into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd

and cut 6 small steam vents in the plastic. Refrigerate until curd is cold, about 4 hours. You can make the curd ahead of time and it can be refrigerated for up to one week. This makes about 1 2/3's cup but you'll only use about 3/4 cup for the cake; save the rest for another use, it's great on toast!

To make the frosting: In a chilled mixing bowl, using the wire

whisk attachment, combine butter with 6 cups of the powdered sugar and the rest of the ingredients. Mix on low for about 30 seconds until all is incorporated and then beat on high speed for 5 minutes, adding more powdered sugar until you get the consistency you want.

To assemble the cake: Invert one of the cake layers on a

cake plate

and carefully peel off the parchment. Spread 1/4 cup of the orange curd over

the top, smoothing it into an even layer. Invert the second layer on

top of

the first, peel off the parchment, and spoon 1/4 cup of the curd

on top. Place the third cake layer on top, remove the parchment, and

spoon

another 1/4 cup of the curd on the top, a 1 1/4-inch

border

around the edges. Frost the sides and the top border with the

frosting, leaving

the curd on top of the cake exposed. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving; keep cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.

"You can only be young once, but you can always be immature." ~ Dave Barry