Orange Cognac Sheet Cake

Dessert last night was orange cognac sheet cake with orange cream cheese frosting. It's a simple cake and came from Ina Garten. I've never made anything of hers that didn't turn out fabulous and this cake was no exception. I did change it a bit by substituting orange for the lemon and adding about a tablespoon of Cognac to the batter. I like the combination of orange and cognac.

With 32 for dinner, dessert needed to be easy. If I made pies and we cut it into sixes, I'd have to make six or into eights, at least four. A layer cake can be cut perhaps into sixteen which means two and 9 x 13 cakes would take at least two as well.

The sheet cake was the perfect solution. One sheetcake indeed fed 32 and the pieces, although not huge, were sufficient. For a garnish, I used violas from the garden.

Ina frosts her cake with a chocolate frosting but instead I used my favorite cream cheese frosting (think carrot cake) and added the zest of a whole orange. It was perfect!

It's Friday which means that it's Foodie Friday which means that we all need to go over to Designs by Gollum and visit Michael and see what everyone else has made this week.

Orange Cognac Sheet Cake

18 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 extra large eggs, at room temperature

8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature

1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract

1 orange, zested

1 T. Cognac (or Brandy)

3 cups flour

1/3 c. cornstarch

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2 inch sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar on medium high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla, zest and Cognac, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed,

slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth. Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour evenly into the pan, smooth the top with a

spatula and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan at room temperature.

Frost with your favorite frosting. I chose cream cheese with the zest of one orange added and a teaspoon of orange extract.