Orange Cake

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan, then
dust with sugar and flour.

Beat the eggs with the sugar to pale yellow ribbons. Beat in the
milk, oil and orange zest. In a small bowl, sift the flour with the
baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the
egg mixture a tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove cake
from oven, let cool slightly on a rack, then invert and cool
completely. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup: Use a sharp paring knife to
cut the orange rind off the orange used for zest and the remaining
orange, leaving the bitter white pith on the orange. Cut the skin
into very thin strips and reserve. Cut away and discard the white
pith, remove the orange supremes, and reserve.

In a large saucepan, combine the orange juice, sugar, and thin orange
strips. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until a thick
syrup. Strain the syrup and reserve the orange strips, along with 1/2
cup of the syrup. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the top of the
cake, then pour the warm strained syrup all over the cake so that it
soaks through.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup syrup in a small saucepan, bring to a
simmer and reduce to a few tablespoons. Use a spatula to spread the
thick glaze over the top of the cake. Place cake on a serving
platter, and arrange the reserved orange strips and orange supremes
on top of the cake.

Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake; 4 to 6 servings