Old fashioned orange cake

My second son asked me to make him an orange cake. Not a fancy one, not a better on, just the same old recipe I have used for years but have not made for a while due to the weight loss journey happening in this household.

So I got out my copy of NMAA Cooks (The Red Cookbook) If you don't have one you so SHOULD! Look at the wear and tear on the cake recipe page on mine!
You can buy one here at Mothers Direct
If you don't have one stop reading and go buy one right now. I mean you really can't go past a book that is still in print even though it offers an asbestos mat as an alternative cooking method for this cake can you?
Look at the state of this book - it is seriously well used.

I made the cake (which is easier than a packet cake of mix really) I's called the Simplicity Chocolate Cake and has umpteen variations one of which is orange.

I really love using this Queen brand vanilla bean paste rather than vanilla essence - if you look closely you can see specks of vanilla in the batter. It is really special and so easy to substitute.

This cake batter smells SO GOOD I could just sit down and make a meal of it really. But I didn't.

I carefully considered the many available silicon pans and something made me revert to the good old 8 inch spring form tin (you can see the age marks around the edge)

Here is the finished product 

While it was in the oven I looked at about 7 different buttercream icing recipes for the Thermomix.

I ended up using: 300g sugar, rind of one orange grind for 20 seconds at speed 10 then scrape down sides, repeat another 20 seconds at speed 10. Add 150g butter, 1 1/2 tblsp milk, 1 tsp vanilla essence (or paste)
Blend at speed 8 for 20 seconds. Done. And if you lick the bowl I think that takes care of your Weight Watchers fun points for the day - but it really is irresistible!

And it was just what the boy requested. But it was fondly received by lots of other people as well!