Moist Creamy Citrus Cake With Orange Buttercream Food

SUNNY CITRUS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Invert the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan (to make it easier to slide the cake off the bottom) then lock on the sides of the pan. Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of the pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the butter, lemon and orange zests and sugar. Beat on medium for several minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs, one at a time and blend just until the yolk disappears. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and blend again.
• In a measuring cup with a spout, combine the vanilla, sour cream, lemon juice and orange juice and stir to combine (the mixtures may seem curdled). Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat on low until incorporated. Add ⅓ of the juice mixture and blend until smooth. Do not over beat. Repeat adding ½ of the remaining flour, then ½ of the remaining juice until both are incorporated. Add the last of the flour and juice and blend once more. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and gently stir with a spatula once more.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. A few moist crumbs is okay - but no wet batter.
• Cool the cake on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before removing the sides. Cool completely before glazing.
• Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a deep saucepan or skillet large enough to hold the sliced citrus in a single layer. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Add the sliced citrus and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning once or twice until tender, but not falling apart. Remove to a wire rack to cool. The remaining simple syrup can be refrigerated and used to sweeten smoothies, tea or cocktails.
• Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice and whisk to combine. Add boiling water or additional sugar until you reach the desired pourable consistency. Drizzle over the cake and top with candied citrus if desired.

WHOLE ORANGE CAKE (SUPER MOIST)

Steps:

• HEAT OVEN TO 350F/177C. Spray 9 inch (23cm) springform pan with oil. Note 1 for other pan options.
• PREPARE ORANGES: Using a sharp knife, place orange on cutting board and slice off the thin top orange layer all around the orange. Try to get as little of the white pith layer as possible (leaving on some is fine - no need to obsess!). Then slice off the white pith layer and discard. Repeat with second orange. Cut oranges into quarters. Shortcut: If your oranges only have a very thin layer of pith, you can use the whole orange.
• CREAM BUTTER, SUGAR, EGGS: Place butter, sugar and eggs in food processor bowl. Process for 2 minutes at high speed until fluffy and creamy. Scrape down sides of bowl once or twice. Scoop mixture into medium-large bowl.
• GRIND ORANGES: Place oranges and orange peels in food processor. No need to clean out processor first. Process until finely blended, about 1 minute. Scrape orange mixture into bowl with butter mixture.
• FINISH BATTER: Add flour mixture of flour and baking powder. Gently fold into wet mixture just until incorporated. Do NOT over mix or the cake will be dense. Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter to level the batter evenly.
• BAKE: for 45-50 minutes or until cake no longer jiggles when shaken and when cake tester or toothpick is inserted in center and comes out clean. Two 8" round pans will take less time, about 25-35 minutes. Timing depends on size of oranges (amount of liquid in cake) and your oven (all ovens are different and not perfectly accurate on temperatures). Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing on pan. Cool completely on cooling rack before frosting.
• MAKE FROSTING/GLAZE (OPTIONAL): While cake is baking, whisk icing/confectioner sugar, 1/2 of orange juice and orange zest with a fork in a small bowl. Add more orange juice until you get the consistency you like. Note 3 for traditional orange buttercream frosting.
• DECORATE: Sprinkle orange cake with powdered icing sugar (through a sieve) if not using frosting. If using frosting/glaze, spread it on top of cake letting it slip down the sides if desired. Decorate cake with orange zest strips, orange slices, drained mandarin oranges, a little bit of zest or crushed nuts if you like.

MOIST CREAMY CITRUS CAKE WITH ORANGE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• 1. Preheat your oven to 350. Grease and flour well, two 8 inch cake pans, set aside. In the bowl of your standing mixer, combine the first nine ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Then beat on medium for 2 minutes.
• 2. Pour into your two greased and floured pans evenly. Bake at 350 for about 40 minute or until cake springs back in center when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
• 3. Frosting-Combine butter and sugar, creaming until well blended. Add orange juice and beat until smooth. Stir in orange zest. Spread on cooled cake immediately.

LEMON & ORANGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a deep, 20cm round cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs, one by one. Fold in the flour, baking powder, mashed potato, zests and juices. Scrape into the tin and level the top. Bake for 45 mins until golden and a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then move to a wire rack.
• Sift the icing sugar, then mix in enough of the lemon juice to make a stiff, but still runny icing. Spread over the cake so it dribbles down the sides a little. Add some chocolate eggs, if using. Leave until the icing has set, then slice and serve. Delicious with a dollop of natural yogurt.

MARY BERRY'S ORANGE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. You will need 2 x 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins, greased and bases lined with baking parchment. Measure all the cake ingredients into a large bowl (reserve a little orange zest for decoration) and beat with a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer until combined and smooth.
• Divide evenly between the 2 tins. Bake for 20-25 mins or until well risen, lightly golden and shrinking away from the sides of the tins. After 5 mins, remove from the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• To make the icing, put the butter and icing sugar into a bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in the orange zest.
• Remove the paper from the cakes. Sit 1 cake upside down on a plate. Make the glaze by putting the caster sugar and orange juice into a saucepan, stirring over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Boil until reduced by half, then brush half on the upside-down cake, using a pastry brush. Spread half the butter icing over the glazed cake. Sit the other cake on top, brush with the remaining glaze, then spread with the remaining butter icing. Scatter with the reserved orange zest. The cake is best eaten on the day, but will keep for up to 3 days in a cool place. It freezes well un-iced or filled.

ORANGE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Blend all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. To thin, add more juice, to thicken, add more sugar.
• Add a dash of orange zest or fresh grated peel, if desired.