Orange Cake With Icing

Preheat oven to 325º F. Spray a decorative tube pan or bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out any excess.

In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter together. Add egg yolks, sour cream and orange zest. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy.

Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into the first mixture. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently. fold egg whites into the mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for one hour or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Carefully loosen around the edges and transfer to a rimmed cake plate. Allow to cool completely.

For Orange Glaze:

In a mixing bowl, whisk sugar, orange juice and vanilla together until fully incorporated. Frost cake with glaze.

For Candied Orange Peel:

In medium size saucepan, add sugar and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved completely. Set aside.

Wash and peel the oranges.

Remove the thick, white pith from the peel. Cut the peel into thin strips about 2-inches long.

Place several inches of water in a separate saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Add the strips to the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer until the strips are just tender. Drain the water from the pan. Pour the prepared simple syrup over the peels. Bring to a simmer and slowly cook until the peels are almost translucent. Drain and let cool on a baking sheet lined with cooking parchment or waxed paper.