Spiced Orange Cake With Orange Mascarpone Icing Food

SPICED ORANGE CAKE WITH ORANGE MASCARPONE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Grease or line the bases of two 8 inch cake pans or Wilton's 4 layer cake pans.
• Place the orange in a small saucepan, cover with water and boil for 30 minutes, or until soft (use a fork). Remove from water and let the orange cool. When the orange is cold, cut in half and remove any pips.
• Roughly chop the orange and puree, including the skin, in a food processor until medium-chunky in texture. Transfer to a bowl and set aside, reserving two tablespoons for the icing.
• Add the remaining cake ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until just smooth.
• Carefully stir in the orange mixture. Divide the cake batter between the cake pans evenly.
• Bake until well risen, lightly golden-brown and shrinking away from the sides of the tins or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Place the butter in a mixing bowl and, using an electric hand mixer, gradually beat in the icing sugar until smooth. Add the mascarpone and mix together until smooth and creamy. Add the reserved 2 Tbsp orange pulp and mix until smooth.
• Slice each cake in half to make four layers (unless you are using 4 cake pans). Divide the icing into four and then stack the layers of cake - icing between each layer and finishing with icing on the top.

ORANGE & ALMOND CAKE WITH CITRUS MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Boil two of the oranges (whole) in water, with the lid on the pan, for about 1 hour or until squidgy. Drain and leave to cool.
• Butter a springform cake tin, 23cm/9in wide and 7cm/23⁄4in deep. Add 1-2 tablespoons of polenta, tip the grains around until the tin is coated, then knock out the excess. Set aside.
• Whizz the flaked almonds to a grainy powder in a food processor, then mix in a bowl with the polenta and baking powder. Set aside.
• Halve the cooked oranges and remove any pips. Remove zest from the third orange. Whizz the zest and the orange halves (with skin on) to a smooth purée in the food processor. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C. Using a mixer or electric beaters, beat the eggs, yolks and sugar for a good 5-7 minutes until the batter looks like a very thick milkshake.
• Quickly beat in the almond mixture, then the purée until just blended. Pour the batter into the tin, leaving at least 1.5cm/5⁄8in at the top.
• Bake the cake in the middle of the oven. After 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 150C/ Gas 2/fan oven 130C, bake for 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 140C/fan oven 120C for a further 30 minutes (if you have a gas oven, cook at gas 4 for 10 minutes, then at gas 2 for 11⁄4 hours until done without reducing the temperature further). The cake is ready when it has risen, is golden-brown and the centre is just firm - don't panic that it still feels fragile.
• Leave the cake to cool in its tin (it will sink a little), then run a palette knife around the edge before releasing the sides. Only attempt to transfer it from the metal base to a decorative plate or stand if you have a proper cake lifter.
• Whisk the liqueur and marmalade into the mascarpone. Serve the cake in thick wedges with the mascarpone dolloped on top.

SPICED LAYER CAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour pans; tap out excess flour. Sift first 8 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and orange peel in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with sour cream and milk. Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to racks and cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.)