Ingredients
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1 cup butter (no substitutes)
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4 -5 eggs
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2 cups sifted cake flour
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1 cup sugar
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1/4 cup honey
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1 tablespoon snipped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
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1/4 teaspoon orange extract or 1/4 teaspoon orange blossom water
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2 teaspoons orange juice
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2 teaspoons orange juice, for icing
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1 cup powdered sugar, for icing
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fresh rosemary, for garnish
Instructions
- Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Grease and lightly flour two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans.
- Combine flour and baking powder.
- Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds or until softened.
- Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on medium speed about 6 minutes or until very light and fluffy.
- Beat in honey.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low to medium speed for 1 minute after each addition and scraping bowl frequently.
- (Batter may look slightly curdled.) Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just until combined.
- Gently stir in snipped or crushed rosemary, orange flower water or extract, orange peel, and orange juice.
- Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake in a 325 degree F oven about 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
- Remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.
- For glaze, stir together powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons orange juice.
- Drizzle over cakes.
- If desired, top with rosemary sprigs.
- Make-ahead tip: Prepare cakes as directed, except do not glaze.
- Place in a freezer container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To serve, thaw at room temperature.
- Glaze as directed above.