Easy Orange Cake

Last weekend, Ben and I made the trek out to Greenville to the KitchenAid Experience.  There is something magical about a KitchenAid mixer.  I want to decorate my kitchen with one of each of the colors.  However, that would be very expensive and unpractical.  I will stick with my white mixer that I love.

We had a good time looking at all the different appliances.  They also have a small museum area that shows the Kitchenaid through the years. We'd like to go back and do the factory tour at some point.  If anyone is looking at buying a mixer, I would check out all their refurbished products.  They are about 2/3 the cost.

I did not see these at the store, but I thought these images were great:

While in Greenville we also ate at Maid Rite.  It's definitely not my favorite restaurant, but something I felt we need to do while in Greenville.  My stomach turns walking up to a restaurant with gum stuck all over the wall.  Does anyone know how this tradition started?

While at the KitchenAid Experience, I had to buy a cook book and a zester.  On sunday, I found a recipe for Orange Cake that was perfect to try out the zester.  I'm also still in a citrus summer time mode.  The cake turned out alright.  Ben like it more than I did.  I'm giving it only 2 cookies.

Easy Orange Cake

 Cake Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Grated zest from 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
5 tablespoons vegetable oil

Cake Directions;
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch round cake pan.
2.  Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and zest in mixing bowl.
3.  Measure out orange juice in measuring cup and add vegetable oil.
4.  Pour the orange juice mixture into the mixing bowl with flour mixture.  Mix until smooth.
5.  Pour into pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp grated orange zest
2 Tbsp orange juice
4 cups powdered sugar
4-6 Tbsp whipping cream

Directions:
1.  Beat butter until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla, zest, and juice and continue to mix.
2.  Mix in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.  Add whipping cream to reach desired consistency.