Sultana and orange pound cake

ingredients

• Sultana and orange pound cake

  • 250 gram butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 kilogram sultanas
  • 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1/4 cup (90g) honey
  • 2 teaspoon orange rind, finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) orange-flavoured liqueur
  • 2 1/3 cup (350g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 2 large oranges (600g), rind only
  • 1/2 cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) water
  • 2 cup (320g) icing (confectioners') sugar
  • 2 tablespoon orange juice, approximately

method

• Sultana and orange pound cake

  • 1

    Have butter and eggs at room temperature.

  • 2

    Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan forced). Grease deep 22cm (9-inch) round cake pan, line base with baking paper.

  • 3

    Place sultanas in a colander, rinse under cold water, washing well, until water runs clear and sultanas are plump, drain well.

  • 4

    Beat butter, sugar, honey, rind and extract in large bowl with electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating only until combined. Stir in sultanas and liqueur, then sifted flours and soda in two batches.

  • 5

    Spread mixture evenly into pan. Tap on bench, level top. Bake cake about 3½ hours. Cover pan with foil, cool cake in pan overnight.

  • 6

    Make glacé orange rind. Remove the rind with a zester from 2 large oranges, finely chop 2 teaspoons and keep aside for the cake. Use the remaining for the glacé orange rind, simmer in small saucepan of water for 1 minute, drain. Repeat 3 times (this helps to remove the bitter flavour). Drain and remove rind from pan. Combine sugar and the water in same pan, stir over heat until sugar dissolves. Add rind, simmer 5 minutes or until translucent. Strain rind, place over wire rack to cool.

  • 7

    To make glacé icing. Sift icing sugar into medium bowl, stir in enough juice to make spreadable.

  • 8

    Spread icing over cake, top with rind.

notes

Place sultanas in large colander; wash under running water until water runs clear and sultanas are plump; drain well (step 3). Remove rind from oranges with a zester (glacé orange rind).