Blackcurrant and Orange Coffee Cake

1 cup	unsalted butter	250 mL
2 cups	granulated sugar	500 mL
4	eggs	4
2 ¾ cups	all purpose flour	675 mL
1 ½ tsps	baking powder	7 mL
1 tsp	cinnamon	5 mL
½ tsp	baking soda	2 mL
½ tsp	salt	2 mL
¼ tsp	ground cloves	1 mL
2 cups	fresh blackcurrants	500 mL
1 cup	slivered almonds	250 mL
1 tbsp	orange peel, coarsely grated	15 mL
1 cup	sour cream	250 mL

¼ cup	orange juice	50 mL
¼ cup	granulated sugar	50 mL
1 tbsp	orange liqueur (optional)	15 mL

DIRECTIONS
Grease a 9” (3 L) tube pan and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325F (160C).

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves. Stir in the blackcurrants, almonds and orange peel. Stir into the batter in three parts, alternating with sour cream in two parts. Scrape batter into prepared pan, tapping pan lightly on the counter to release air bubbles.

Bake for 1½ hours or until the cake has come away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for ten minutes then turn out onto rack and set right side up.

Glaze: In a small saucepan, heat together juice and sugar until syrupy. Stir in liqueur if using. While cake is still warm, use a skewer to make about 25 holes about 2 inches (5 cm) deep in the top of the cake. Drizzle orange syrup over top of cake and let cool completely. Serve immediately or freeze.

Serves: One large cake that can be cut into approximately 20 pieces.

Stonelane Orchard www.stonelaneorchard.com 204.371.8581