Orange Sour Cream Cake

Here we have another winner from the Canadian Living Baking Book - A refreshing cake for sunny days ahead. I find it amusing how this winter Vancouver is hosting the 2010 olympics and yet this year is one of the warmest winters compared to the past few years. They have to transport snow from one part of BC to another for the games! One of our mountains even had to be closed due to lack of snow. Sooo... I guess this sunny cake is quite fitting for the weather!

This cake is wonderfully orangey and so moist. I used fat free sour cream because I bought the wrong tub by accident (Argh!) and it still turned out excellent. I usually go for fat free products when I'm not baking, but for baked goodies I rarely skimp on the full fat (and full flavor) stuff. Oh yea, I am one of those inconsistent people who orders fries with a diet coke. Actually, the truth is that I like the aftertaste of aspartame and without that aftertaste it seems like something is missing.

On a side note, I wish I were as talented as Elizabeth Baird, Executive Food Editor of Canadian Living Magazine and was the magazine’s food editor for more than 20 years. She is Canada’s expert on Canadian cooking and I am so envious of her job.



Orange Sour Cream Cake
1 Bundt | Adapted from Canadian Living

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened (250 mL)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (300 mL)
4 eggs, separated
1 tbsp orange zest (15 mL)
1 tsp vanilla (5 mL)
2 cups all-purpose flour (500 mL)
1 1/2 tsp each baking powder (7 mL) and baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (2 mL)
1 1/2 cups sour cream (375 mL)

Syrup
1/4 cup granulated sugar (125 mL)
1/4 cup orange juice (125 mL)

1. Grease a Bundt or tube pan; dust with flour. Set aside. In large bowl, beat butter with 1 cup (250 mL) of the sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Beat in orange rind and vanilla.

2. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture alternately with sour cream, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of sour cream. In separate bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites until frothy; beat in remaining sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third into batter; fold in remainder. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top.

3. Bake in centre of 325°F oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack.

4. Syrup: Meanwhile, in small saucepan, bring sugar, orange juice to boil over medium heat; reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced about 7 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Brush over warm cake. Let cool. (Make-ahead: Wrap in plastic wrap; store at room temperature for up to 1 day or overwrap in heavy-duty-foil and freeze for up to 1 month.)