Basilopitta The New Year's cake

[Giorgos]

5 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups butter at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 glass orange juice
1/2 cup brandy
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract confectioner's sugar almonds

-Preheat oven to 300 F or 180 C

-Beat egg yolks with sugar

-Sift flour with baking powder

-Dissolve soda in brandy

-Add butter to sugar and beat well

-Add orange juice, brandy and vanilla

-Add flour and beat until very well mixed

-Whisk egg whites with a drop of lemon to marengue

-Fold marengue into batter

-Bake for 1 1/2 hour or until done

-Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and almonds