Easy Orange Cake

Let’s talk a little about cake, shall we? Not just any cake but this Easy Orange Cake. I’m not really a fan of cake or even cookies, in general. I’m not a fan of frosted cakes either. If I must eat cake, I prefer simple and unadorned coffee cakes. There are exceptions, of course. I do really like this cake though. It’s a lovely way to put oranges to good use. The citrus flavour shines through without being over powering. I would suggest you try this at least once. It’s now on my list of cakes worth making.

I can think of a couple of reasons to recommend this cake to you. It is quite easy to make, for one thing. Cream the butter and sugar. Then alternately beat in the wet ingredients with the dry ones. Then bake it. You can dust the top with powdered sugar and serve it. For a little something special, add a simple frosting just to the top of the cake.

This Easy Orange Cake has soft crumbs, is moist and perfect to serve with coffee or tea. I would, personally, even consider it good enough to celebrate something special with. I used Valencia oranges. These tend to be very juicy and the very good to zest as well.

I didn’t know till recently that the word Orange originated from the Sanskrit word Naranga! The derives from the Dravidian root word Naaradham meaning bitter orange. The Arabic derivative of Naranga is Naranj which eventually became Orange in English. It turns out the Orange had it its origins in an area that was part Northern India, part China and Myanmar. Now you can find them growing across the world.

Easy Orange Cake

A soft crumbed moist and easy orange cake that is all about oranges, and topped with a simple frosting. Perfect with coffee or tea.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine global vegetarian

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  

For the Orange Cake :

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 125 gm butter soft at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 3/4 cup unsweetened orange juice

For the Topping

• 50 gm unsalted butter soft at room temperature
• 3/4 cup icing sugar sifted (more or less)
• 1 1/2 tsp orange zest

Instructions

 

For the Orange Cake :

• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
• Using a hand held mixer, beat the butter for about a minute till creamy. Beat in the sugar for another couple of minutes till pale and fluffy. Beat in the orange and lemon zest and eggs, one at a time.
• Add about half the orange juice and half the flour mixture and beat on low speed till just combined. Add remaining orange juice and flour mixture and beat again till just combined and creamy.
• Do not over mix. Transfer to a well-greased and floured 7” cake pan. Bake at 180C (350F) for 35 to 45 minutes or till the cake is done and skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes, then unmould. Cool on a rack till completely cool. Then top with icing.

For the Icing :

• Beat together all the icing ingredients till smooth and fluffy. Adjust to desired consistency by adding more icing sugar or orange juice as desired. Spread on top of the cake with a spatula. Decorate as desired.