Fresh Orange Cake - Proposal Cake (Recipe)

Ingredients

Cake:

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup shortening

Grated rind if 1 orange (1 tablespoon or more)

3/4 cup milk or water

1/4 cup orange juice

2 eggs

Filling and Frosting:

1 cup milk

5 tablespoons sifted cake flour

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/2 to 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease and flour two 8-inch round baking pans.  Set aside.

2. To make the cake: Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  Add the shortening and the grated orange rind.

3. Add the milk or water and the orange juice to the dry ingredients and bear with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened.  Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.  Add the eggs; beat for an additional 2 minutes.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.  Bake in the 350° oven about 25 minutes or until the cake tests done with a wooden toothpick.

5. Cool 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the pans (may stick on bottom).  Cool the layers on racks.

6. To make the filling and frosting: Blend the milk and cake flour in a saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat to a very thick paste, stirring constantly.  Cool to lukewarm about 40 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, in small mixing bowl, cream the shortening and butter or margarine with the 1 cup granulated sugar and salt.

8. Add the lukewarm paste to the shortening mixture and beat with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.

9. Stir in vanilla.  Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture.  (For its use, see tips below.)  Fold the chopped nuts into the remaining mixture.  Spread 1 1/2 cups of the mixture between the cake layers.

10. Add the powdered sugar to the remaining mixture and beat vigorously with a spoon to desired consistency.  Frost top and sides of cake.

Tips:

If the filling and frosting is a little soft, add some sifted powdered sugar until it is just the right spreading consistency.

If stray crumbs always seem to mess up the frosting on your cakes, try this tip.  First, brush off as many crumbs as you can by hand.  Then, spread the sides of the cake with a thin smooth coat of frosting.  (This is where the reserved frosting is used.)  This layer will help seal in any stray crumbs.  Finally, spread a thicker layer of frosting over the thin layer, swirling the frosting decoratively.