Middle Eastern Orange Cake
I know I'm in serious nesting mode when I start baking, and yesterday I went to a holiday gift sale in someone's house, and bought a beautiful vintage cake plate, and it looked so sad and lonely, sitting on the counter with nothing on it, I had to make a cake.
(Just for the record, these holiday gift sales are disastrous for me. I think I'm only going there for one thing, in this case, a white feather wreath, and I leave laden down with shopping bags. I now have glittered things galore, pine cone candles, mercury glass angels. My living room looks like a Christmas store).
Yesterday I turned, once again, to Diana Henry's Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons, for she has a recipe for an orange cake that is so moist and delicious, it is a failsafe. I also adore that it uses a whole orange, boiled for an hour (or, in my case, nuked in the microwave for 25 minutes), and pureed. Super easy, and will impress all who come for tea. I never bother with the marmalade cream, and serve instead with a healthy dollop of Creme Fraiche, sometimes jazzed up with some orange rind.
Middle Eastern Orange Cake with Marmalade and Orange Flower Cream.
Serves 8
1 orange
3 eggs
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup ground almonds
confectioners sugar for dusting
For the Cream (Optional)
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon orange flower water or orange juice
Put the orange in a pan, cover with water, simmer for an hour, or, nuke in microwave for around 25 minutes, until soft. Cut orange in half, remove pips, and puree in a food processor.
Grease an 8" spring-form cake tin, line with greaseproof paper.
Beat eggs and sugar until pale and thick. Fold in flour, baking powder, almonds and orange puree. Pour into tin and bake on 350 for an hour.
To make cream, melt marmalade in small pan, let cool slightly but not set, then mix with mascarpone and yoghurt. Add icing sugar and orange flower water/juice to taste.
Sift confectioners sugar over cake, and serve with the cream.
Jane, you're killing me with the cake recipes. I have to (no, really, HAVE to) try them all. I wish I liked cooking real food as much as I like baking. I have already made three of the pumkin gingerbread trifles (not all for me) and now I'll be trying this. My jeans are never going to fit again!
p.s. Got anything chocolate?
=)
Jane, you're killing me with the cake recipes. I have to (no, really, HAVE to) try them all. I wish I liked cooking real food as much as I like baking. I have already made three of the pumkin gingerbread trifles (not all for me) and now I'll be trying this. My jeans are never going to fit again!
p.s. Got anything chocolate?
=)
Jane when you nuke the orange is it a whole orange with peel on and covered with water in the microwave?
Bev
Jane when you nuke the orange is it a whole orange with peel on and covered with water in the microwave?
Bev
That was supposed to say "PumPkin Gingerbread Trifle". I can spell, I promise.
That was supposed to say "PumPkin Gingerbread Trifle". I can spell, I promise.
Bev, yup. You nuke the entire thing, peel and all, covered with water.
I have an amazing and easy chocolate cake recipe:
Dangerous Cake
4 tbls flour, self raising works best.
4 tbls sugar
2 tbls cocoa
1 egg
3 tbls milk
3 tbls veg oil
3 tbls choc chips (optional)
Splash vanilla.
In a measuring jug, mix all dry ingredients.
Add egg and mix again.
Add milk and oil and mix.
Add choc chips.
Split mixture into 2 coffee mugs and microwave for 3 minutes. Put on plate and enjoy! Add custard or cream if desired.
So easy and quick, be careful not to eat everyday!!! xx
I have an amazing and easy chocolate cake recipe:
Dangerous Cake
4 tbls flour, self raising works best.
4 tbls sugar
2 tbls cocoa
1 egg
3 tbls milk
3 tbls veg oil
3 tbls choc chips (optional)
Splash vanilla.
In a measuring jug, mix all dry ingredients.
Add egg and mix again.
Add milk and oil and mix.
Add choc chips.
Split mixture into 2 coffee mugs and microwave for 3 minutes. Put on plate and enjoy! Add custard or cream if desired.
So easy and quick, be careful not to eat everyday!!! xx
you can also just stick the orange in the microwave without any water, it comes out just fine. Only thing is, sometimes a little juice may run from the orange.
you can also just stick the orange in the microwave without any water, it comes out just fine. Only thing is, sometimes a little juice may run from the orange.