Make My Special Orange Cake With Creamy Orange Icing for Added Holiday Cheer!

A piece of My Special Orange Cake With Creamy Orange Icing 

In case you missed it, I launched the South Tex Organics large combo box of citrus review and giveaway.  And as  promised, I wanted to show you how to make use out every delicious aspect of their incredible citrus from fruit to peel.  

This simple recipe that I want to share with you uses both orange and orange peel to create a cake bursting with so much orange flavor unlike any others you may have tasted.  Topped with a creamy white icing that is speckled with finely grated  peel provide the extra measure of sunny orange flavor that compliments this cake to new heights. 

If you don't have a rasper to grate your peel, you could use the fine side of a cheese grater.   Check out  a rasper because this tool grates a finer peel that makes a recipe ooze with more orange flavor than any other gadget to remove that rind.  

lemon and rasper

I just love using my rasper.

Make this fantastic cake and then be sure to buy more South Tex Organics awesome citrus for a great Christmas gift.  Then remember to enter this giveaway for your chance of winning a large combo box of their sweet Rio Star organic grapefruits and Marrs oranges!

My Special Orange Cake With Creamy Orange Icing

My Special Orange Cake

1-1/2 cups of sugar
2 tablespoons of finely grated orange rind ( peel of 2 oranges)
3/4 cup of canola oil
3-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 cup of orange juice ( juice of 2 oranges)
3/4 cup of boiling water
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of flour
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

To Make the Cake:

All you need to do is sift all your dry ingredients together in your mixing bowl. 
Grate your peel. 

Gather up the eggs, oil, and orange juice and add to the dry ingredients, beating well to mix through with your electric mixer.

Boil the water and then slowly add it to the above mixed ingredients as well before turning out into your greased cake pan approximately 13 x 9 x 2-inch size.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in comes out clean.

Cool before topping with icing.


My Creamy Orange Icing:

3 cups of confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup of margarine (not spread)
1/4 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of orange rind

To Make the Icing:

Beat everything together in your mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.


ENJOY!

South Tex Organics Large Combo Citrus Gift Box Review + Giveaway!--Ends December 21, 2012

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

South Tex Organics

When you want to say you are important to me, I care about your health, I can't think of a more thoughtful way than sharing a gift of fresh organic citrus this holiday season with family, friends or employees. 

Last year, I discovered the amazing difference of South Tex Organics and their huge, sugary Rio Star grapefruits and juicy Marrs oranges.  This year, I am pleased to be working with them again with a review and giveaway of another large combo box  (#303) of 15 of the best tasting USDA certified organic grapefruit and 24 of their succulent oranges for another holiday review and giveaway.

I love South Tex Organics for quite a few reasons.  Their added concern for the health of the consumer is apparent since they grow their citrus naturally without the use of any pesticides, sprays, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers.  Those methods can steal vitamin content and flavor from the citrus.  Research backs up that claim that organically grown produce has higher levels of vitamins than the conventional variety as well.

Buying decent looking citrus in my area can be challenging.  What I see in my  local grocery stores may be advertised as oranges or grapefruits but are hardly decent specimens worthy of consuming--at least in my opinion.  However, the large combo box from South Tex Organics was packaged with tender loving care and loaded with large appealing citrus and plenty of paper straw to ensure it stayed in excellent condition.  Furthermore, their citrus keeps a lot longer than what you may be used to if you ask me.

As to the taste, I can't begin to describe how delicious and extra sweet both the Marrs oranges or their Rio Star grapefruits are.  These beauties are so juicy and not dry in the least and bursting with incredible flavor.  Another thing I want to point out to other grapefruit fans is you can skip adding sugar to these.  Trust me, but it is not necessary.

Here's something else to be excited about is that you can use this chemical-free citrus peel for even more delicious ways in recipes like my yummy orange cake with orange creamy icing that I will be sharing with you shortly.  By the way, the USDA lists on their site that you get even more vitamin C from the peel than the orange besides calcium, potassium, and other minerals and vitamins like lots of B-6 so do grate and take advantage of yet another fantastic use.  

For those on your holiday shopping list that you have no idea what they want, you can't go wrong by giving them a South Tex Organics citrus box.  They come in all sizes and prices starting from $22 and up with combos of both grapefruit and orange or just one type.  Check here to order a box from their website.

*Disclaimer:  This is my own honest opinion.  A free product was provided to facilitate this review.*

Thanks to South Tex Organics, one lucky Nuts 4 Stuff reader in the United States wins a combo box like I received of 15 grapefruits and 24 oranges ($52 value)!

South Tex Organics Large Combo Citrus Gift Box

Both Are Mandatory to Enter:

1. You must follow me on Google Friends Connect before any of your entries will count.  If you already follow, then INCLUDE your ***EMAIL*** with name in a comment!

2. Go to South Tex Organics and tell me something else you learned from their site in another comment.

Extra Entries:

(Provide proof once with email when doing each form of entry and number the rest):

Tweet #Win #SouthTexOrganicsCitrus #Giveaway @Nuts4Stuff http://bit.ly/YqMAz7 Ends 12/21(Tweet up to 3 times a day, but at least 3 hours apart for each tweet.)--1 to 3 extra entries to leave in separate comments with proof.

Share South Tex Organics on your Facebook Wall--5 extra entries to leave in five separate comments (show me the proof) 

Subscribe to South Tex Organics Email--2 extra entries to leave in two separate comments

Check out South Tex Organics recipes and tell me your favorite--2 extra entries to leave in two separate comments

"Like" Nuts 4 Stuff on Facebook--3 extra entries (leave three separate comments)

Add @Nuts4Stuff to Your Twitter and tell me so in your comment with your Twitter id--3 extra entries to leave in three separate comments

Subscribe to the Nuts 4 Stuff blog by email--3 extra entries (must confirm) to leave in three separate comments

Subscribe to Nuts 4 Stuff in a reader--3 extra entries (Orange button in my sidebar) to leave in three separate comments

List this giveaway on any giveaway site just leave a link to this post wherever you share it--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where with proof in one of them)

Blog about this giveaway and comment with a link to the post--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where with proof in one of them)

Grab my Nuts 4 Stuff button and paste it in your sidebar--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where you left it with proof in one of them)

Add Nuts 4 Stuff to your blogroll  (using my URL) with a link back to me (comment where you left it for 2 more extra entries to leave in two separate comments)

Enter another Nuts 4 Stuff giveaway (enter as many as you want, however, only 1 extra entry will count) and tell me which one in a comment--1 extra entry

Enter the Monave Mineral Makeup Big $104  Holiday Assortment Giveaway--1 extra entry   

Leave a separate comment for each entry.  Be sure you include your email address inside your comment so I can contact you if you win.   This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States.  No PO Boxes just USA-based street addresses.

**Any entries that contain a link or website address for redirecting readers to your site to sell your products will be deleted when found.  I am giving you a chance to win, not advertise for free.*** Do follow the rules because I check entries.   Be alert that if you attempt to enter using multiple identities will be grounds for disqualification. 

This giveaway ends December 21, 2012 at 12 PM Eastern Standard Time. The winner will need to respond to my email with name and shipping address within 48-hours or another winner will be picked.  

Now Is the Perfect Time for My Sweet Orange Buns!

One of the best fragrances a home has comes when homemade bread is baking to fill it with a delicious aroma.  Yet you can intensify that joyful smell by making a raised sweet dough sprinkled with grated orange peel and sugar with My Sweet Orange Buns.  These are as light as feathers and the perfect way to brighten a winter day!

This recipe is wonderful to enjoy especially when you have oranges in the house.  Since we have the chemical free USDA certified organic oranges in the refrigerator from South Tex Organics, then I thought this is the perfect time to grate those peels and get a dual purpose from their healthier citrus.

Their organic oranges are extra sweet and contain more of their vitamin content than the commercial counterparts.  So I encourage you to seriously think about the benefits of organics and the amazing citrus that South Tex Organics sells and order some because you will be doing a good thing for your health and your tummy.

If you haven't entered the South Tex Organics Large Combo Box of Citrus Giveaway (the 13 grapefruits and 24 oranges) yet, then you can still do so until December 28, 2011.  Do enter and then you can hurry and make this recipe for your family as well!

My Sweet Orange Buns

1-3/4 cups of sugar
1/4 cup grated orange peel
5-1/2 to 6-1/2 cups of unsifted flour
1 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons or packages of active dry yeast
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup of hot tap water (about 125 degrees)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of melted margarine

First you make the Orange Sugar Topping.  Mix 1 cup of the sugar with the 1/4 cup of the grated orange peel.  Set aside.

To make the dough the quick way, you put 1-1/4 cups of the flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, salt, vanilla, and undissolved yeast  in a large mixing bowl.  Now add your oil and gradually the hot tap water.  Beat with the electric mixer, adding eggs one at a time and 1/4 cup more flour.  Continue beating and then keep adding the rest of the flour until you get a soft dough.  Turn out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and workable.

If you prefer to make the dough the old-fashioned way, you need to test the temperature of the water on your wrist to make it sure it is not too hot to scald first.  It has to be hotter than just warm.  Add that water with a teaspoon of sugar to the yeast and set aside for five minutes to help it grow.  Then add the 1-1/4 cup of flour gradually with the oil, eggs, salt, and vanilla beating in with your electric mixture.  Stir in the rest of the flour until you form a soft dough.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead smooth.

From this stage with either way you start, you divide the dough into three equal portions.  Divide one portion into eight equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a smooth ball and dip into the melted margarine and then dipping into the Orange Sugar Topping Mixture to coat.  Do this procedure for each piece until it's gone.

Turn your coated buns into a greased 8" round cake pan.  Cluster them together and cover them tightly with a plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.  Do this the same way for an additional second pan.  You can either store in the freezer and unthaw at another time, one or both pans for three hours with the plastic wrap at room temperature.  Let rise in a warm spot until the buns double in size (about 2-1/2 hours). 

For same day use, you do the same thing of letting the buns that you covered with a dish towel grow in a warm place until they double in size (about 2-1/2 hours).

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly golden at the bottom.

South Tex Organics Large Combo Citrus Gift Box Review and Giveaway!--Ends December 28, 2011

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

South Tex Organics Large Combo Citrus Gift Box

Nothing tastes better than fresh fruit in the winter, especially when it comes from South Tex Organics with their huge, sugary Rio Star grapefruits and juicy Marrs oranges.  All their produce is grown naturally and is free of chemicals that can rob the vitamins and taste from the fruit.  I was sent a large combo box (#303) of 15 of their delicious USDA certified organic grapefruits and 24 of those succulent oranges for this review and giveaway.

I don't know about the appearance of produce where you live, but in the stores where I shop, the fruits and vegetables can often look less than appealing.  However, I can tell you with utmost confidence that once I opened my box from South Tex Organics that my produce looked fresh like it was just picked, instead of sitting in some warehouse for a long time first.  Each fruit was carefully packaged and void of bruises as well.

Being a grapefruit fan, I tasted one of those first.  Let me tell you that no sugar was necessary to sweeten this ruby-red baby up because it would have been overkill.  In fact, this was the best grapefruit that I ate in a very long time instead of some of those small, drier grapefruits that taste more like lemons.  However, this was so huge that I only could eat one half of it at one time.  

The oranges were next and were extremely delicious.  Perhaps, the added scrumptious taste of South Tex Organics is due to their healthy avoidance of harmful commercial growing practices with sprays, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides since the citrus flavor seems intensified.  

For those on your holiday shopping list that you have no idea what they want, you can't go wrong by giving them a South Tex Organics citrus box.  They come in all sizes and prices starting from $22 and up with combos of both grapefruit and orange or just one type.  Check here to order a box from their website.

One research study even suggests that organically grown produce has higher levels of vitamins than the conventional variety, which is another reason why this is a truly thoughtful gift.  After all, everyone can benefit with a daily dose of fresh vitamin C!

Thanks to South Tex Organics, one lucky Nuts 4 Stuff reader in the United States wins a  large combo box (#303) like I received of 15 grapefruits and 24 oranges ($52 value)!


Both Are Mandatory To Enter:

1. You must follow me on Google Friends Connect before any of your entries will count.  If you already follow, then tell me the name you follow me by in a comment and email (if not in your profile)--in a comment.

2. Go to South Tex Organics and tell me something you learned from their website in another comment.


Extra Entries:

Add @Nuts4Stuff to Your Twitter and tell me so in your comment with your Twitter id--for 2 extra entries (leave two separate comments)

Tweet #Win #SouthTexOrganics #LargeCitrusGiftBox #Giveaway @Nuts4Stuff http://bit.ly/uAeKSe  Ends 12/28 (can be done daily)--1 extra entry per day in another comment

Share South Tex Organics on your Facebook Wall--5 extra entries to leave in five separate comments (show me the proof) 

Sign up for South Tex Organics Email Announcements--2 extra entries to leave in two separate comments

"Like" Nuts 4 Stuff on Facebook--2 extra entries (leave two separate comments)

Subscribe to the Nuts 4 Stuff blog by email--2 extra entries (must confirm) to leave in two separate comments

Subscribe to Nuts 4 Stuff in a reader--2 extra entries (Orange button in my sidebar) to leave in two separate comments

List this giveaway on any giveaway site just leave a link to this post wherever you share it--3 extra entries (leave three separate comments and tell me where in each comment)

Blog about this giveaway and comment with a link to the post--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where in each comment)

Grab my Nuts 4 Stuff button and paste it in your sidebar--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where you left it in each comment)

Add Nuts 4 Stuff to your blogroll  (using my URL) with a link back to me (comment where you left it for 2 more extra entries to leave in two separate comments)

Enter another Nuts 4 Stuff giveaway (enter as many as you want, however, only 1 extra entry will count) and tell me which one in a comment--1 extra entry

Leave a separate comment for each entry.  Be sure you include your email address inside your comment so I can contact you if you win.   This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States. No PO Boxes just USA-based street addresses.  Do follow the rules because I check entries.   Be alert that if you attempt to enter using multiple identities will be grounds for disqualification. 

This giveaway ends December 28, 2011 at 12 PM Eastern Standard Time. The winner will need to respond to my email with name and shipping address within 48-hours or another winner will be picked.