Orange Slice Cake

Step 1

Measure out the 3 1/2 cups of flour

Step 2

Chop dates and orange slices coating them with some of the measured out flour to keep them from sticking together. Placing some flour in a zipper bag and shaking it to coat a handful or two of the fruit and candies at a time works well. Add more of the flour to the fruit as needed.

Step 3

When the dates and orange slices are chopped and coated with flour, add the coconut to the bag or bowl along with what remains of the measured out flour.

Step 4

Grease and flour (or used a baker's spray that includes flour) a large tube pan.

Step 5

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Step 6

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl).

Step 7

Add eggs one at a time, waiting for each egg to be incorporated before adding the next.

Step 8

Mix in 1/3 of the fruit and flour mixture.

Step 9

Mix in half the buttermilk mixture.

Step 10

Add another 1/3 of the fruit and flour mixture until incorporated.

Step 11

Add the remaining buttermilk mixture until incorporated.

Step 12

Mix in the remaining fruit and flour mixture until the batter is evenly incorporated.

Step 13

Bake in the 250 degree F oven for about 3 hours (the original recipe said 3 1/2 hours, but I find this way too long) until a skewer, tester, or thin knife inserted in the center comes out with out cake stuck to it. (NOTE; It may have melty orange candy stuck on it when done. Look for cake batter on the tester).

Step 14

In the last hour of the cake baking, mix the orange juice into the confectioner's sugar in a small bowl to make an orange glaze

Step 15

As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, use a skewer, chopstick, or similar object to punch holes in the top of the cake.

Step 16

Loosely wrap foil around the bottom of the cake pan.

Step 17

Pour the glaze over the cake.

Step 18

Leave cake in the pan on the cooling rack overnight (it needs to cool completely and really set up) or for at least 6 hours..

Step 19

Remove cake from the pan by inserting a butter knife around outside edges and the tube in the center. Remove outer ring of pan. Use the butter knife to make sure cake is separate from the bottom of the pan and turn it upside down to release the cake.