Mother's Citrus Orange Cake

I love all orange flavored baked goods, so this one caught my eye even before I realized it was a family treasure.

I also liked that it is not merely an Orange Cake, but a Citrus one to boot.

The artist bio reads "Has worked extensively designing and creating Party Table Decorations for Elizabeth Arden, of the famous Fifth Avenue cosmetic firm".

What a plum gig!

Where do I sign up?

Mother's Citrus Orange Cake

(A Family Treasure)

3/4 cups butter

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, well beaten

1 cup fresh buttermilk

1 cup walnuts, chopped very fine

1 1/2 tsp. soda

1 whole orange (put through food chopper)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped dates

Method: Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, add well-beaten eggs. Add nuts, dates and ground orange. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Turn into well-greased, floured long loaf cake pan. Bake 1 1/2 hours in 325 degree oven.

When baked and still hot from oven, pour over top the following mixture:

Juice of 1 1/2 oranges (3/4 cups) plus grated rind mixed with 3/4 cups sugar -- mix thoroughly.

Allow cake to age 24 hours before cutting. Will keep moist for days.