I thought I was the only one around here who loves simple cakes, but apparently my coworkers share my opinion: this orange cake got devoured in a couple of hours and was elected their favorite baked good – who would imagine that orange could beat chocolate and caramel?
Speaking of favorites, I watched “Restless” last Saturday and absolutely loved it – sensitive, delicate, with nice dialogs, moving without being sappy. Just beautiful. If Gus Van Sant continues to make movies like this I might forget he was responsible for “Finding Forrester” and “Good Will Hunting”. Might. :)
Simple orange cake
adapted from the always wonderful Bon Appetit Desserts: The Cookbook for All Things Sweet and Wonderful
Cake:
3 cups (420g) all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 1/3 cups (266g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
finely grated zest of 2 oranges – the ones I used were the size of my head, lots of zest
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (390g) plain yogurt
¼ cup (60ml) orange juice
Glaze:
1 ½ cups (210g) icing sugar
2-3 tablespoons orange juice
Start by making the cake: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour a 32.5x22.5x5cm (13x9x2-in) metal baking pan. Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in large bowl until blended and smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then orange zest and vanilla extract. Mix in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with yogurt in 3 additions. Mix in orange juice. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake cake 50-60 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack.
Make the icing: sift icing sugar into a small bowl, add the juice gradually and mix until desired consistency. Drizzle over the cake*.
Cake can be kept in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
* I made the exact recipe above using a 20x30cm (8x12in) metal baking pan; since the pan has a removable bottom, I unmolded the cake before drizzling it with the icing
Serves 15
I ♥ citrus cakes! This looks delightful! And thanks for the movie suggestion. :-D
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is possible that I could love this more than your lime cake, but I'll certainly give it a try (a side-by-side taste test might be in order...like I need an excuse to make these cakes). Sounds delicious...sometimes simple is best. Give me citrus any day over chocolate!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDear Patricia,
ReplyDeleteAm really glad that you post another citrus cake. really enticing. I just bake one last night using the recipe that you posted on Monday, March 1, 2010. That orange cake is delicious. So far I've tried 2 recipes from your blog and all of them were successfully baked and eaten (only thing is that I somehow reduced the sugar by 10 to 20gm less)
Keep on posting the good food.
Looks delicious. Sometime classic simple flavours are the way to go :)
ReplyDeleteClassic cakes are always the best...especially when shared and with a cup of tea! Great job!
ReplyDeleteSuper spongy cake,looks fabulous..
ReplyDeleteLovely cake, it seems so light !
ReplyDeletevery nıce:))
ReplyDeleteSounds like a perfect tea cake. And I love tea time!
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful to boot.
I found that a simple cake is more delicious, as this kind of cake has a kind of home tasting, well, it's homemade, but you can feel it in your mouth, in your nose...it has the taste of the cakes we used to eat at grandma's
ReplyDeleteBeen searching for a light 'clean' tasting cake in the middle of all the Christmas excesses...will def try this :)
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious, already picturing myself enjoying it with Lady Grey tea :P