Orange Sour-Cream Bundt Cake

Makes 16 servings

This velvety cake hails from the kitchen of veteran cake baker Malcah Sufrin. You can serve it with the syrup or an orange glaze. Either way, add orange sections and blueberries to each serving, if desired.

* 1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened

* 11/4 cups (310 mL) granulated sugar, divided

* 4 eggs, separated

* 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated

orange rind

* 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

* 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

* 11/2 tsp (7 mL) baking powder

* 11/2 tsp (7 mL) baking soda

* 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

* 11/2 cups (375 mL) sour cream

For the syrup:

* 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

* 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice

* 1/3 cup (80 mL) orangeflavoured liqueur

Grease a 9-inch (2.5-L) fancy or classic Bundt or tube pan; dust with flour. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter with 1 cup (250 mL) of the sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in orange rind and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture alternately with sour cream, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of sour cream.

In a separate bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites until frothy; beat in remaining sugar, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third into batter; fold in remainder. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake in centre of 325 F (165 C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack.

To make the syrup: In a small saucepan, bring sugar, orange juice and liqueur to boil over medium heat; reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced to 3/4 cup (180 mL), about 7 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Brush half over warm cake. Let cool.

(Make ahead: Wrap in plastic wrap; store at room temperature for up to 1 day or overwrap in heavy-duty-foil and freeze for up to 1 month.)

Serve with remaining syrup.

Approximate nutrition per serving: 314 calories, 16 g fat, 4 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 1 g fibre

Orange glaze

In a bowl, mix 3/4 cup (180 mL) icing sugar with 4 tsp (20 mL) orange juice, adding a little more juice if necessary to make glaze pourable. Slowly pour over cooled cake. Let stand until glaze is dry, about 1 hour.

Turning out a Bundt cake

Let a large cake, such as a Bundt cake, cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes.

With a knife, gently loosen cake around edge and centre. Place rack over pan. Grasp bottom of pan and, holding rack firmly to top, turn cake over. Lift pan off. If pan sticks, turn cake and rack back over and, with thin flexible plastic blade, loosen cake where it is stuck. The pan should slide off when it's turned over."

Prize-Winning Apple Pie

Makes 8 servings

Baking enthusiast Brenda Hall of Collingwood took first prize at the annual Quintessential Apple Pie contest with this pie, which she called Grandma Thompson's. It's a classic double-crust pie that's not too sweet but full and juicy with freshly harvested local apples. For a fall pie, reroll the pastry scraps and cut out maple leaves to arrange on the top crust.

* Double-Crust Sour-Cream

Pastry (recipe follows)

* 1 egg yolk

* 2 tbsp (30 mL) coarse sugar

For the filling:

* 8 apples (such as Northern Spy), about 3 lb (1.4 kg)

* 3/4 cup (180 mL) granulated sugar

* 2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch

* 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon

* Pinch nutmeg

* Pinch salt

* 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, softened

Set out a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate.

For the filling: Peel and core apples; cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) thick slices to make 8 cups (2 L). Place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, toss granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add to apples and toss until coated.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pastry to generous 1/8-inch (3-mm) thickness; fit into pie plate. Trim to rim of pie plate. Scrape in filling; dot with butter.

Roll out remaining pastry. Whisk egg yolk with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water; brush some of this egg wash over pastry on rim. Fit pastry over filling; trim to leave 3/4-inch (1.8-cm) overhang. Fold upper layer of pastry under pastry on rim; flute to seal. Brush some of the remaining egg wash lightly over pastry. Cut steam vents in top; sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake in bottom third of 450 F (230 C) oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F (180 C); bake until top is deep golden, apples are tender and filling is bubbly and thickened, about 65 minutes. Let cool on rack. (Make ahead: Set aside at room temperature for up to 8 hours.)

Approximate nutrition per serving: 489 calories, 25 g fat, 4 g protein, 65 g carbohydrates, 3 g fibre

Double-Crust Sour-Cream Pastry

Makes enough for 1 double-crust,

9-inch (23-cm) pie

* 21/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour

* 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

* 1/2 cup (125 mL) cold butter, cubed

* 1/2 cup (125 mL) cold lard, cubed

* 1/4 cup (60 mL) ice water

(approximately)

* 3 tbsp (45 mL) sour cream

In a large bowl, whisk flour with salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and lard until in fine crumbs with a few larger pieces.

In a liquid measure, whisk water with sour cream, drizzle over flour mixture, tossing briskly with a fork and adding a little more water, if necessary, until ragged dough forms.

Divide in half; press into 2 discs. Wrap and refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes. (Make ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight container for up to 1 month.)