Grandma’s Cranberry Orange Cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons cranberry-flavored liqueur
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup white sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of white sugar, 1/3 cup of orange juice, eggs, buttermilk, cranberry liqueur, and vegetable oil using an electric mixer. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fold in the chopped dates, cranberries and orange zest. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the crown of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan set over a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the cake from the pan and place on a serving plate. In a small saucepan, stir together 1 cup of orange juice and 3/4 cup of white sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Use a turkey baster or large spoon to drizzle the sauce over the cake. Poke the cake with a fork or skewer to help it absorb all of the sauce, or until the cake is thoroughly moistened.