Delicious Orange Cake Recipes To Make At Home

Orange cake is a dessert that dates back to Roman times. In the famous banquets organized by the emperors and the soldiers who won the battles, this type of cakes could be found. On the other hand, this dessert was also found in the Arab culture, who could introduce it in certain areas of Europe, along with other recipes based on citrus.

Beyond its rich history, it is a dessert that, to this day, remains the favorite of many. Are you thinking of surprising family and friends? Do not miss the following recipe to make the best orange cake.

Variants of orange cake

Before starting with the recipe, it should be noted that there are two types of oranges: one sweet and the other bitter. According to information published in New World Encyclopedia, each one has different characteristics depending on the size, pulp, skin, amount of juice, among others. In any case, both are used equally in the preparation of desserts.

On the one hand, sweet oranges can be of the navel, white or Valencia type and of the sanguine or red type. These are commonly used to prepare natural juices at home, so consumed in the breakfast of the Mediterranean diet.

On the other hand, bitter oranges, also known as sour or persian, are commonly known in Spain as sevillanas. This type is used in the production of jams and preserves. Due to their taste, they are not usually eaten raw.

Both types of oranges are valid for the preparation of the orange cake, and your choice will simply vary the flavor of the result. Therefore, we can choose one class or the other according to personal taste.

Preparation of the orange cake

To make the delicious orange cake we are going to use 100% natural orange juice. Thus, we guarantee both the taste and its nutrient content. And it is that, according to data in Nutrition Journal , natural orange juice improves the quality of the diet and is related to a better adequacy of nutrients.

Of course, it must be taken into account that this dessert contains sugar and fat, which indicates an “extra calories”. Therefore, in order not to affect the diet, it should be eaten in moderation, occasionally. In addition, it should be avoided if there are special metabolic conditions (consult your nutritionist if you have doubts).

Ingredients

To make this delicious dessert, we will need the following ingredients:

• 2 cups of flour (300 gr).
• 1 cup of butter (200 gr).
• 1 cup of sugar (200 gr).
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of natural orange juice (250 ml).
• 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel (30 gr).
• 3 tablespoons of baking powder (27 gr).
• A pinch of salt.

Elaboration

Now, it is time to start making the dessert. To do this, we will follow the following steps:

• First, mix the butter and sugar in a bowl.
• Beat these two ingredients until a smooth paste or creamy texture is obtained.
• Next, open the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks ; for now, we will only use the yolks. Therefore, we will reserve the whites for later use.
• Once the yolks are ready, introduce them little by little into the initial mixture while continuing to beat the whole so that all the ingredients are well integrated and a uniform dough is obtained.
• On the other hand, combine the baking powder with the flour and a little salt; this will help us to accentuate the flavor of the dessert.
• When the three ingredients are ready, add them to the previous mixture in small doses, alternating with the orange juice  and always stirring constantly.
• Once the previous step is finished, add the grated orange peel.
• The next step will be to beat the egg whites until they are stiff. When they are ready, pour them over the previous mixture. This step is important to avoid lumps during the preparation of the recipe; otherwise, the resulting dessert will be affected and we will not obtain the expected final dish.

• To finish, grease a baking dish with butter and sprinkle flour to prevent the orange cake from sticking to the bottom or the walls.
• On the mold, pour all the mixture.
• Finally, place the mold in the oven at a temperature of 250 ºC, until the cake rises.

Dessert completion

It is possible to control the cooking process of the orange cake by inserting a knife into it and checking if it comes out clean. When it is ready, remove the mold from the oven and place the dessert on a platter or flat plate.

To finish the dish, we have the option of decorating the orange cake with some slices of the raw fruit, or adding some grated skin to the final result. Finally, we can also place some red fruits, whose flavor will combine quite well with that of orange.