Williamsburg Orange Cake

I used to make this cake for bake sales when I was in high school, and they always fetched a pretty penny!  this is yummy and moist!  This is a really easy all in one bowl-- mix and pour recipe. This is not your typical buttermilk cake recipe and is a great from scratch cake for beginners!

Ingredients
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour ( or 2 2/3 cup Cake Flour)
1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar (I keep a vanilla bean in my sugar jar and only use cane sugar)
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1  1/2 Cups Buttermilk
1/2 Cup Sweet Cream Butter, Softened
1/4 Cup Crisco Shortening
3 Large Eggs (about 2/3 cup)
1  1/2 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup Golden Raisins, Cut Up (Or for a zip substitute Crasins!)
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Walnuts or Peacns
1 Tablespoon Orange Zest or grated Orange Peel (like to heap the tablespoon)

Top with Williamsburg Buttercream

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-9 inch round cake pans.

Measure and pour all ingredients for the cake into a large bowl. Mix 1/2 minute on low spread will you use the spatula to scrape down bowl sides constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 more minutes, scraping occasionally to make sure all the dry mixture is evenly dispersed. Pour mixture evenly into three pans. Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.  Then frost with the Williamsburg Butter cream frosting.

Williamsburg Butter Cream Frosting
1 Stick (1/2 Cup) Butter, softened at room temperature.
4 1/2 Cups C & H Confectioners Sugar
4-5 Tablespoons Orange Flavoring, Orange Juice or Orange Liqueur - (each adds its own touch, when I was in high school I made this with Orange Liqueur, it had less alcohol than the flavoring had! Or Make your own Orange Extract!)
1 tablespoon Orange Zest or Grated Orange Peel

Whip butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in flavoring. Add orange zest or grated peel and beat until smooth. Ice the cakes by spreading a little icing in between each layer, frost the top, then the sides. Sever with a smile!