Fresh Orange cake

[ButterSticks]

Cake:
2 1/4 c. sifted cake flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 c. shortening
graded rind of 1 orange (1 T. or more)
3/4 c. milk or water (I use milk)
1/4 c. orange juice
2 eggs

Frosting: 1 c. milk
5 T. sifted cake flour
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
1/3 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 c. finely chopped walnuts (I use pecans)
1/2 to 1 c. sifted powdered sugar

(1) Preheat oven to 350 . Grease & flour two 8-inch pants, set aside.
(2) To make cake: sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and grated orange rind.
(3) Add milk or water and the orange juice to the dry ingredients and beat w/electric mixer on low until moistened. Beat for 2 min. at medium speed. Add the eggs; beat for an additional 2 min.
(4) Pour batter into the cake pans. Bake at 350 for about 25 min. or until tests done.
Cool 10 min. then carefully remove the cakes from pans. Cool on cooling racks.

To make the frosting:
Blend the milk and cake flour in a saucepan over med.-low heat to a very thick paste, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm (about 30 min.)
Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, cream the shortening and butter with 1 c. granulated sugar. add salt. Add the lukewarm paste to the shortening mixture and beat w/electric mixer on high until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Fold in the chopped nuts.
Spread 1 1/2 c. of the mixture between the cake layers. Add the powdered sugar to the remaining mixture and beat vigorously w/spoon to desired consistency. Frost top & sides of cake.

*If frosting is a little soft, add sifted powdered sugar until right consistency*