Orange Layer Cake

I started with the "Company's Coming: Baking; Simple to Sensational" recipe, then added some wheat germ, reduced the sugar and replaced the icing with an orange filling. This is a lovely, moist orange cake, and although I'd recommend half a piece at a time for those with sugar issues, I was able to: lower the calories from 570 to 350, reduce the fat from 21.1 g to 10.5 g, cut the cholesterol from 88 mg to 48 mg and take the total carbohydrates from 94 g to 60 g. As a bonus the protein increased from 6 g to 9 g. Any way you slice it, this cake was a winner and earned 6 thumbs up... 8, if you count mine!

1/2 cup hard margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 large eggs
1/3 cup frozen concentrated orange juice, thawed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup skim milk

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and creamy. Add orange zest. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add concentrated orange juice. Beat.

Combine flour, wheat germ, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spray 2 - 8 inch round cake pans with vegetable oil spray. Divide and pour batter into pans. Spread evenly. Bake at 350* F., for about 35 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Let stand in pans on wire racks to cool completely.

Place one cake on serving plate; cover with Orange Filling, and gently place second cake layer on top of filling. Serve as is, or with a light whipped topping and orange peel garnish.

Orange Filling:
1 1/4 cup prepared orange juice
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, well beaten

In small saucepan, combine cornstarch and sugar. Stir in orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until liquid begins to thicken.

Temper the egg, by mixing it with a wire whisk to combine the yolk and white. Carefully whisk a steady stream of the hot boiling liquid into the beaten egg; (add liquid to about double the egg's volume). Next, carefully whisk the warmed egg mixture back into the liquid in the pot. Whisk together until filling gets thick and creamy.

Remove from heat. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely before filling cake layers.

Cuts into 12 wedges.

Per serving; (1 wedge)
350 calories, 10.5 g fat, 48 mg cholesterol, 60 g carbohydrates, 2.1 g fibre, 9 g protein.