BLOG: Croquet Tournaments, PGA and Orange Juice Cake

Ken and I recently participated in a croquet tournament at the Sarasota County Croquet Club in Venice, FL. Neither one of us did very well. However, when asked about my results, I claimed “perfect.” I lost all my games, counting the two I forfeited—but wouldn’t have beat nine handicappers in the rain—because of stomach problems.

The next day we drove across the state for Ken to play in the Peyton Ballenger Croquet Tournament at the PGA in Palm Beach Gardens on the Florida’s East Coast. I didn’t compete but was a faithful deadness board keeper.
Thanks to our friend Joy Bradford, who was the tournament chair, we stayed with Anne Licursi on Riviera Beach, Singer Island. What a gracious hostess with a wonderful condo overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the bay!
However, there was one challenge; the elevators went down in her building for two days. We certainly got our exercise climbing up 10 flights. Fortunately Anne’s place was not on the 25th floor.
The days were rewarded with Ken being undefeated in all eight of his games and coming in first in the Championship B Flight. Once again, he’s my champ!
On the way to the PGA, we took the northern route around Lake Okeechobee. Returning to the west coast we drove the southern route. On both ways we saw lots of open land, palm trees and acres of orange groves. All those oranges reminded me of a delicious and easy orange juice cake. Here’s my recipe.

Orange Juice Cake

• 1 box yellow cake mix with butter
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Icing

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 stick butter

 
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together all cake ingredients.
Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan.
Pour the batter in the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While cake is baking, bring sugar, butter and orange juice to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes until sugar crystals are dissolved.
When cake is hot from the oven, punch holes in the top and pour icing syrup over the top and allow to soak into the cake.
Allow cake to cool completely before removing from the pan.

 
– Reach Sidna Brower Mitchell via e-mail at sbmcooks@aol.com.