This cake would be delicious at any time of the year, but I like to serve it instead of Christmas cake because it's so light and moist. Spring form cake pans come in odd sizes, but any size from 9 to 10 inches will work. Store the cake at room temperature in a cake tin.

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons grated orange rind
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup plain yogurt (preferably 4 per cent milk fat or higher)
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

Orange syrup:

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum

White icing:

• 3 cups icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut a round of parchment paper to fit the base of a well-greased and sugared 91/2-inch spring form pan.

Cream sugar and butter together with electric beaters until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in orange rind.

Sift together flour, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl. Beat one third of flour mixture into batter, then half of yogurt; continue alternating between flour mixture and yogurt, finishing with flour mixture. Mix in cranberries.

Spoon batter into spring form. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Let cool while making syrup.

In a small pan, heat orange juice, sugar and rum, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove cake from cake pan, discarding parchment paper if desired. Place on a serving dish. Using the point of a skewer, make small holes in the top of the cake. Brush top and sides of cake with syrup.

Whisk together icing sugar, butter and enough milk to make a slightly runny white icing. Spread over cake so that it drizzles down the sides. Decorate with glazed cranberries and candied orange peel before the icing has fully set. Serves 8.

 

CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

This recipe makes more than you need to decorate the cake, but it's also delicious in other desserts or as a snack.

 

2 navel oranges

1 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

 

To candy orange peel, remove sections of skin and pith from two navel oranges with a sharp knife. Place in pot, cover with cold water and bring to boil. Boil for 5 minutes, drain and repeat process four more times to soften the peel.

Drain and scrape away any white pith.

Cut peel into julienne strips (or larger ones if you prefer).

Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to boil and boil 2 minutes. Add orange peel and simmer gently until syrup is absorbed by peel (about 18 to 20 minutes).

Remove peel to dry on a rack or piece of parchment paper.

 

GLAZED CRANBERRIES

Festive and bright, this simple berry topping can be made well in advance.

 

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 egg white, whisked until frothy

1 cup granulated sugar

 

Coat cranberries with frothy egg white. Strain and toss in sugar to coat. Let sit on a baking sheet until dry.