Thanks to Jz for continuing to organize this delicious event!
I'm not good with cookies, but I am good with cake. So I decided to share a recipe for orange cake with an orange curd filling. There was a rumble of protest from Alpha regarding giving away family secrets...But he let me play anyways.
The most important thing about this cake (and the curd), is to squeeze the citrus yourself--do not use pre-made juice!
Ideally, the curd should be made a day in advance of assembling the cake. It can also be made with lemon instead. No additional changes to the recipe are necessary as it was originally a lemon curd.
Orange Curd:
8 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a medium sized heavy bottom pan until smooth. Add lemon juice, orange juice, and zest. Place pan on medium heat and add butter, stirring occasionally until smooth and thickened (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and place plastic wrap directly on surface of curd to prevent it from forming a skin. Refrigerate at least three hours--overnight is better.
Orange cake:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans
Zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cup butter
3 eggs
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Combine:
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Combine orange zest, sugar, and butter. Cream until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the liquid. Beat batter until smooth after each addition.
Pour into prepared pans and bake for 1/2 an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool completely before assembling cakes with curd in the center.
I like this cake with a cream cheese frosting. Though I have never bothered to measure, so all ingredients are to taste. It's also perfectly delicious with a regular butter-cream frosting--just add a bit of orange zest. Either way, I would recommend that you avoid making it too sugary, as the orange curd is quite sweet.
Icing:
Cream cheese
half as much butter as cream cheese
generous amount of orange zest
powdered sugar
Below are the links to the other participants in the cookie exchange. Enjoy browsing all the goodies!
Advizor54
Hmmm, way too complex for me to actually make, but it sure was fun reading about it!
ReplyDeletehugs,
aisha
aisha,
Deletethe cake itself is really easy, and it's also delicious without the orange curd--I made it that way for years.
Sounds quite delicious. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Ronnie
xx
ronnie,
Deletethank you, and yvw. After reading your recipe, I'm thinking that some sort of picture is a must for future recipes lol.
This sounds like a "project" recipe. Not for everyday, but one of those cakes to anticipate and slave over (*giggles*) on a cold afternoon. I bet it smells just heavenly!
ReplyDeleteThanks to Alpha for allowing you to share your closely guarded family secret! Those recipes are the most precious. I can't wait to try.
Serenity,
DeleteLOL--maybe the slaving over is part of why everyone likes it so much.
It's less of a project without the curd, but still quite edible--the original cake recipe came out of the 1945 Joy of Cooking. I changed it a bit over the years and added the curd.
Sounds delicious. Can you send over a piece. I'm at the age if it has more than 5 ingredients or steps, I pass.
ReplyDeleteThank you Alpha
sunnygirl,
DeleteLoL--I'm all over it as soon as someone makes an invention that allows me to email cake.
The cake by itself is easy! Though it does exceed five ingredients by just a bit...
Mmmmmm This sounds amazing!
ReplyDeleteHisLilAngel,
DeleteI's one of my favorite cakes.
Looks yummy!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSirQsmlb,
Deleteyou are quite welcome!
Oh, my heavens.
ReplyDeleteMy problem isn't that I won't make this stuff, it's finding people to help me eat it.
For this, I might stand on the street corner wearing a sandwich board...
Man, I want to try this!
Thanks, cutes!
Jz,
Deletelmao, I want a picture! Pretty pretty please?
Thank you! This was lots of fun.
hysterically - -I've made lemon curd and lime curd -- it never occurred to me to make orange curd.
ReplyDeletethis sounds delicious!
sfp
sfp,
Deletelol--until you said that, it had never occurred to me to try making lime curd. Now I'm thinking lime curd with a lemon cake...
If it has fruit juice in it, the calories don't count, right! Sounds gooood! Thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays! -Sassy
ReplyDeleteSame sassy girl,
DeleteI have no idea what the calorie count is, but it's damn tasty!
This sounds luscious! The Joy of Cooking is my Bible, but it must not have made it into my newer copy.
ReplyDeleteThank you to Alpha for sharing with us.
When I was working (years ago), a co-worker brought in a cheese cake. It has a sour cream type layer on top and was the most heavenly, decadent dessert I have ever had. He refused to share the recipe, as it was a family secret.
I think this makes my desire to have it again even more pronounced. I scan recipes often, wondering if *this* is the one- lol!
I will be making this- I love lemon curd and never had orange. (might just try the lime too!
Thanks so much, and Happy Holidaze! :-) E
Elysia,
DeleteI have a 1998, 1975, and the 1945 versions. They are all different. The oldest is my favorite by far.
The original recipe had water in it as well--but I found that replacing it with orange juice made the cake quite a bit better.
Have fun! It's one of my standard baking addictions lol.