Via sprinklebakes.comOne 12-inch cake, serves 8-10
Make the cake:
1/2 lb. (1 cup or 2 US stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 lb. (2 cups) granulated sugar
5 eggs
2 oz (1/4 cup) orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 lb. (2 cups) all purpose flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 lb (about 2 cups) dried cranberries
8 oz (about 2 cups) roughly chopped pecans
Zest of 1 large orange
1 dried bean
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until pale.
2. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add orange liqueur and vanilla. Mix well then pour into the butter mixture. Beat until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Add the flour, salt and spices. Mix thoroughly.
4. Add the cranberries, pecans and orange zest. Stir to combine.
5. Grease and line a 12-inch cake pan with parchment paper – bottom and sides. Pour cake batter in and use a fork to press the dried bean down into the batter. Cover top of cake with aluminum foil. Bake for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Remove cake from oven and let cool in the pan while you make the simple syrup.
Note: You may also insert the dried bean AFTER the cake is baked. This will ensure that the bean doesn’t cook during the 3 hours in the oven. The dried cranberries re-hydrate quite a bit, so this worries me about the fate of your bean, especially if it is small.
Orange simple syrup:
8 oz (1 cup) water
1/4 lb. (1 cup) sugar
2 tbsp. orange liqueur (such as Cointreau)
1 cinnamon stick
1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and liquid is very hot. Remove from heat and add cinnamon stick. Let steep 5-10 minutes.
2. When liquid has cooled somewhat, remove the cinnamon stick and add the orange liqueur.
3. Pour syrup over cake a little at a time, allowing it to soak in before the next addition. Do this until all the syrup is used. Turn cake out on a serving plate when it is completely cool.
