Orange Date Pound Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped pitted dates (about 8 oz.)
1/2 cup pecans
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease 6-cup tube pan.
Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
Combine flour and baking soda in small bowl; add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, blending until smooth.
Mix in dates, pecans, orange peel and vanilla.
Spoon batter into prepared pan; cover with foil.
Bake cake 30 minutes.
Remove foil and continue baking until cake pulls away from sides of pan and tester inserted near center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes.
Invert onto rack and cool.
(Can be prapared 1 day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.).
Dust with powdered sugar and serve.