This recipe adds a sweet touch to my blog. I have shared many savory cakes with you — fish, meat and vegetarian — but have never published a dessert recipe before, until today! This sophisticated orange cake reminds me of the afternoon tea scenes in Jane Austen’s books, and of the Dormouse sleeping in the teapot in “Alice In Wonderland”. Yet the cake is very easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and no hassle.
This is one of the earliest videos on my channel, so you can see my husband trying out different filming angles and how our style and mood are emerging. I should mention that my husband also tries to eat the cake from different angles once it’s out of the oven! It’s his absolute favorite!
Ingredients:
120g (⅔ cup) of sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
100g (3,5 oz) softened butter
2 oranges
200g (1 ⅔ cup) flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon icing sugar (for decoration)
Kitchen utensils: a 23 x 13 cm loaf pan, a parchment paper, 2 bowls, a whisk, a spatula, a chopping board, a knife, a zester or a fine grater.
Method
Start by taking the butter out of the fridge two hours before you start cooking.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
In a large bowl, beat 3 eggs, 120 g (⅔ cup) of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract together for 3–5 minutes.
Zest and juice one orange, then add the zest and juice to the batter.
Add 100 g (3.5 oz) of softened butter.
In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: 200 g (1⅔ cups) of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Using a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter. Don’t overmix.
Grease the loaf tin and line it with parchment paper.
Cut an orange into slices and arrange them on the bottom of the tin.
Pour the cake batter on top, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 45 minutes.
Leave to cool completely in the tin before slicing.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and enjoy!
🖨️ Printable recipe (PDF):
Notes
This cake freezes well and can be stored for up to two months. Allow it to thaw naturally at room temperature before serving.
Why not try using different citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, blood oranges, tangerines or yuzus?
The base for many sponge cake recipes is formed by eggs well-beaten with sugar and butter and then mixed with dry ingredients. If you are just starting out on your baking journey, sponge cakes are a great place to begin.
Substitutions
Sugar: Any sugar can be used, including brown, white and cane. If you are trying to reduce your sugar intake, try allulose, a sugar substitute that doesn’t affect blood sugar and insulin levels. Since allulose is a little less sweet than sugar, take around 150g or ¾ cup.
Eggs/Vegan: Silken tofu is the most popular egg substitute for baking. Use 50 g of tofu for each egg, or 150 g in total. I’ve also heard that chia seeds are widely used in vegan baking: for each egg, soak one tablespoon of chia seeds in three tablespoons of water for a few hours.
Flour/Gluten-free: For this recipe, I’d recommend almond or coconut flour.
Butter/Vegan: Use 65 ml of neutral vegetable oil instead, such as canola, grapeseed or sunflower oil.
Oranges: Most citrus fruits would be great in such a cake. However, I wouldn’t use grapefruit due to its bitterness.
Baking powder: Bicarbonate of soda would work equally well.
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