WALNUT ORANGE CAKE WITH
ORANGE PEEL CONFETTI
Special equipment: Three 9-inch straight-sided round cake pans
CAKE:
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups ground walnuts
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
ICING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 cup chopped walnuts
GARNISH:
8 walnut halves
Candied Orange Peel
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare the cake: Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each with a round of wax paper. Butter and flour the paper.
3. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and oil until smooth. Gradually beat the sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat well to incorporate.
4. On slow speed, add the baking soda and flour. Then add the
buttermilk, vanilla, walnuts and orange zest.
5. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks but are still
moist. Fold the whites into the batter in three equal but separate additions.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake the cake layers until they are golden and the cake springs back when touched gently, about 25 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven, run a knife around the edge of each cake, and unmold the layers immediately onto racks to cool.
7. Prepare the icing: With an electric mixer, cream together the
cream cheese and butter until softened. Gradually add the
confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Add the orange juice and orange zest, and mix well.
8. Place a cake layer on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Spread the layer evenly with 1/2 cup of icing. Then sprinkle half the chopped walnuts over the icing. Repeat with the second layer. Then top with the final layer flat side down, and using an icing spatula, spread the remaining icing evenly and smoothly over the sides and top of the cake.
9. Place the walnut halves evenly around the top edge of the cake. Arrange the orange peel between the walnuts. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. (The cake can be prepared to this point 1 to 2 days in advance; tent loosely with aluminum foil and refrigerate.)
Serves 12
