Williamsburg Orange Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 orange, zest of
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup orange juice

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir raisins and nuts into the dry ingredients and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the shortening and blend in 1 cup of the sugar.
Beat the eggs and add to the creamed mixture. Add vanilla and orange zest and mix well.
Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with 1/2 cup buttermilk, and mix until well blended. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch square pan and bake for 40 minutes.
While the cake is baking, combine the orange juice with the remaining cup of sugar.
Spread tthis glaze over the top of the hot cake and immediately return it to the oven for about 10 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and the cake tests done when you insert a toothpick or wooden skewer near the center.
Let the cake cool in the pan before turning it out onto a serving plate.The glaze may be sticky so run a dull knife around the edges of the cake before coaxing it out of the pan.