Orange sunshine Cake

The orange season is over but there are still some recipes to be jotted down or else they will go in a big pile of to do list. This year it was fun discovering that adding just a few tablespoons of citrus hints to any recipe lift up the flavours to a new height and make it all the more scrumptious. I have this yellow cake recipe learned from my mother. It is a keeper indeed. Because whenever I whip up a cake it brings back fond memories to delve into. This is her love kept save in a form of a wrapped present ready to bring smiles whenever required. 

I have shared the swirl or marbled version of this cake before but this improvisation of plain vanilla infused in orange juice is a new one. I remember one time my mother made a orange chocolate cake from this recipe and that cake was delicious too. 

The key to have a soft cake using this recipe is having all ingredients at room temperature, whipping eggs till their maximum volume with caster sugar and gently folding oil, flour and orange juice with a flat spoon or a spatula. We had a metallic flat spoon with which my mum used  to fold in flour and oil, with sides to centre movement. And that made all the difference. Perfect super soft cake every time.

So coming back to recipe! To 

Orange Cake

• 3 eggs at room temperature 
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all purpose flour sifted with
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/3 plus 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice or juice from 2 oranges
• Grated rind from 2 oranges
• Icing sugar to dust for garnish

Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.Whip eggs with electric beater till light and foamy. Add in caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, vanilla essence and continue beating till batter is creamy white. Pour in oil in a steady stream from side and gently fold in with sides to centre movement with a spatula. Now add grated orange rind and fold in. Gently fold in flour in threes alternating with orange juice in between. Pour batter in greased 7 inch pan and bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Leave in a pan for 5 minutes and then invert on a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar at serving time.

If you want you can save a little orange juice or squeeze fresh from another orange on the cake as it comes out of oven. This makes a soft cake bursting with orange flavour to be readily relished at teatime. You can use store bought orange juice if fresh oranges are not available.

And regarding this design it is made with the help of one of my grandma’s crochet work. I placed the doily on the cake and sprinkled icing sugar from top and then carefully removed the doily. 

It is just a simple way to make your cake stand out and be the cake of the hour with just a handful of icing sugar. Sweet garnish with just an icing sugar is the easiest way to adorn any dessert. 

Happy baking the orange sunshine cake 😊