Orange Cake.

Another from Craig Claiborne. This was his mother's recipe.

Orange Cake

1/2 pound butter
3 cups sugar
4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
2 TBSP finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice

Preheat over to 350. Cream together the butter & 2 cups sugar, until light & fluffy. Sift together the flour and baking soda and add it to the butter mix, stirring until well blended. Beat in the eggs, buttermilk, 1 TBSP grated orange zest, dates, & pecans. Pour and scrape the mixture into a 4-qt. tube pan and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Do not unmold the cake.

Combine the remaining 1 cup sugar with the OJ and remaining zest. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Gently plunge an ice pick or skewer in several spots on top of the cake and pour the juice mix over. Let stand 30 minutes or longer, until it is absorbed and the cake is cool. Unmold and serve, cut into wedges.