Make the Orange Glaze
- Prepare the Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar with just enough fresh orange juice to make a thick syrup. Heat gently, stirring constantly, for about 1–2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Glaze the Cake: Pour or brush the warm orange syrup over the cake while it’s still in the pan, letting it soak into the holes. Leave the cake out overnight to cool slowly and absorb all the syrupy goodness.
- Finish and Store: The next morning, remove the cake from the pan. Brush the sides and top with any remaining orange syrup to seal in moisture and add shine. This step keeps the cake from drying out and gives it that irresistible citrus glaze.
Tips for Success
- Use soft, fresh orange slice candy: Older, hardened candy can be difficult to chop and mix evenly.
- Don’t skip coating your mix-ins: Tossing the candy, dates, nuts, and coconut in flour helps distribute them evenly throughout the cake.
- Cool slowly: Letting the cake rest overnight makes it richer, denser, and perfectly sliceable.
- Storage: Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. It keeps beautifully at room temperature for up to a week and even longer when refrigerated.
Dense, moist, and full of citrus flavor, this Old-Fashioned Orange Slice Cake is pure Southern nostalgia. It’s a true holiday heirloom recipe — one you’ll bake year after year, passing it down just like Brenda Gantt did. Because as she says, “It’s Gonna Be Good, Y’all!” 🍊❤️
