SYRUP CAKE SATSUMA SAUCE

Chef Ken Smith of New Orleans's Upperline Restaurant serves this sauce, made with satsumas, a citrus fruit native to Louisiana and harvested in the fall and early winter, on Acadian syrup cake. This sauce also pairs well with ginger cake or other spiced cakes. Substitute small navel oranges for satsumas.

MAKES 1 3/4 CUPS

Ingredients

1 cup freshly squeezed satsuma juice or orange juice

1⁄2 cup sugar

1 tsp. satsuma zest or orange zest

3 tbsp. Grand Marnier

1 tbsp. cornstarch

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled

1⁄4 cup orange marmalade

Instructions

Combine juice, sugar, and zest in a 1-qt. saucepan and stir until dissolved over high heat, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine Grand Marnier and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter and marmalade. Let cool to room temperature before drizzling over cake.

SERVES 8-10

Ingredients

2 1⁄2 cups flour, plus more for the pan

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1⁄2 tsp. ground cloves

1⁄2 tsp. fine salt

1⁄2 tsp. finely ground black pepper

1 1⁄2 cups dark cane syrup, preferably Steen's brand

1⁄2 cup canola oil

1 egg, beaten

1 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in 1 cup boiling water

Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°. Butter a 9" round metal cake pan and line bottom with buttered parchment paper. Sprinkle in a little flour; turn and tilt pan to coat the inside. Invert pan and tap out any excess flour. Set pan aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, cloves, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together syrup, oil, and egg. Beat one-third of the flour mixture followed by one-third of the soda mixture into the syrup mixture; repeat twice more, to make a smooth batter. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cake cool completely in pan. Invert cake onto a plate; dust with confectioners' sugar.