A whipped cream topping covers this luscious orange cake. Orange syrup is soaked into the cake layers, and then the layers are spread with orange marmalade. This recipe is adapted from Jan Karon’s Beloved Mitford Series of books.

Ingredients:

Batter:

3 cups cake flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Orange Syrup:

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

¼ cup granulated sugar

Filling:

1 cup orange marmalade

Whipped Cream Topping:

2 cups whipping (heavy) cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans, line with parchment paper, then lightly grease again.
   
   Batter:
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
   
   
3. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Add eggs, orange zest, and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.
   
   
4. Alternately add some of the flour mixture, and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until blended and smooth.
   
   Bake:
5. Pour batter into the pans, dividing the batter evenly between the 2 pans. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Loosen and remove the cake from the pans, and then place the cake back in the pans (to prevent the cake from sticking to the pans after the orange syrup has been added.)
   
   Orange Syrup:
6. In a small bowl, stir the orange juice and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.
   
   
7. With a fork, poke holes at ½ inch intervals over the top of the cake layers. Spoon the orange syrup over each layer, allowing the syrup to soak in the cake.
   
   
8. Let cake finish cooling completely, then remove the cake from the pans
   
   Filling and Whipped Cream Topping:
9. Place one of the layers on a cake plate, carefully remove the parchment paper, then spread 2/3 cup marmalade over the top. Place the second layer on top of the first layer, carefully remove the parchment paper. Spoon the remaining marmalade in the center, spread to within 2 inches of the edge.
   
   
10. Spread the Whipped Cream Topping around the sides of the cake, and over the top edge of the cake, leaving the marmalade on top of the cake exposed. Or if you prefer, frost the entire cake, adding the marmalade as a garnish on top.
    
    
11. Cover cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    
    TheBakingPan.com