Orange Tea Cakes

Photo: flickr user watusirv

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter - (¼ lb) room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 lrg egg

1/2 cup orange juice

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup buttermilk

Preparation

In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and beat well. Beat in orange juice.

In another bowl, mix flour, orange peel, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir half the flour mixture into the butter mixture, then the buttermilk, followed by the rest of the flour mixture, until just incorporated. Spoon batter equally into 24 buttered miniature muffin cups or 12 regular muffin cups (1/3 cup).

Bake in a 350 degrees regular or convection oven until tops are lightly browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of one muffin comes out with moist crumbs attached, 20 to 25 minutes. Invert pan to remove cakes. Serve warm, or let cool to room temperature.

This recipe yields 24 (1 3/4-inch) cakes.

Comments: Helen Knowlton writes that these simple, moist, slightly sweet cakes make a delicious accompaniment to a cup of tea.

Yield: 24 cakes