Buttery Light Orange Layer Cake

By pattie_d

Ingredients

• Orange Butter-Cream Frosting:
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups confectioners sugar

Details

Preparation time 30130mins
Adapted from familycircle.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to top and lower third of oven.

2. Place sugar in small, heavy-duty plastic food-storage bag; seal. Freeze 20 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch square metal layer-cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease paper. Flour pans and paper.

4. Place large mixing bowl and beaters in freezer 5 minutes.

5. Combine buttermilk and grated orange rind in a bowl.

6. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto waxed paper 3 times.

7. To cream, beat butter in chilled bowl with chilled beaters 3 minutes, until light in color. With mixer running, add chilled sugar in steady stream. Beat 3 to 4 minutes, until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each; then beat 1 to 2 minutes, until light and airy. Fold in half of flour mixture; fold in half of buttermilk mixture. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk mixtures. Pour into prepared pans.
8. Bake in 350 degrees F oven 20 to 25 minutes, until centers spring back when pressed with fingertip. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks to cool. Peel off paper.
9. Meanwhile, prepare frosting.
10. Place one layer on serving plate. Spread top and sides with half of frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Frosting:

Beat butter, milk, orange juice, orange rind, salt, and 1 cup of the confectioners sugar in bowl until smooth. Slowly beat in remaining 3 cups confectioners sugar; continue beating until spreading consistency.