Charles E. Walton IV
This delicious cake combines the sweetness of orange with the tartness of fresh cranberries and sour cream. When in season, try substituting blueberries or raspberries. Bake the cake up to 1 day in advance and add icing 1 to 2 hours before serving. For testing purposes, we used a (10-cup) Cathedral Bundt pan from Nordic Ware. Dark pans will cause the cake to brown more quickly, so lower baking temperature by 25°. Greasing the pan with shortening helps ensure your cake will release all in one piece. The recipe makes 12 cups of batter; if using a 10-cup pan, bake the extra batter in a mini loafpan. For small cakes we used 2 (6-cup) Bundtlette pans from Nordic Ware and baked at 325° for 25 to 30 minutes. Prep: 30 minutes, Bake: 55 minutes.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10- x 3 1/2-inch Bundt pan. Turn pan over, and tap to remove excess flour.
Step 2
Sift together first 3 ingredients; set aside.
Step 3
Cream together butter, zest, and 1 3/4 cups sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 2 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, and beat to incorporate.
Step 4
Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating at low speed with electric mixer after each addition, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl; set aside.
Step 5
Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the egg whites into cake batter. Fold in remaining egg whites until almost incorporated; fold in cranberries. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Step 6
Bake at 350° (325° if using a dark pan) for 55 to 65 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.
Step 7
Turn cake out onto a wire rack, and place over a baking sheet. Brush cake with warm Orange Glaze. Allow glazed cake to cool completely. Spoon Orange Icing over cake, allowing icing to drip irregularly down the sides. Allow icing to set before serving cake.
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