This cake is inspired by Nigella Lawson and Honey & Co. Wanting to use the ins and outs of a whole orange, I've come up with a cake which is simple yet sophisticated when it comes to flavour. Rather than icing the cake with a typical buttercream, I made a greek yoghurt and cream mixture with some added coops of icing sugar and a dash of rose water. The fresh and floral rose cream pairs wonderfully with the sweet orange zestiness of the cake. It is perfect as a dessert or afternoon tea, or even elevenses. Basically, you don't need to come up with an excuse to eat it!
Serves 10
Hands-on Time 20 minutes (plus cooling)
Baking Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
100ml Olive oil (plus extra for greasing)
110g Self raising flour
110g Ground almonds
1/8 tsp Salt
210g Caster sugar
3 Eggs, large
170g Greek yoghurt
3/4 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Orange, large
110ml Double cream
4 tbsp Icing sugar
1/8 tsp Rose water
Handful pistachios (shelled and chopped) - optional
Sprinkling of Chocolate curls (optional)
Equipment
Scissors
Baking parchment
20cm Cake tin (springform or fixed bottom)
Pastry brush
Bowl
Fork
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Fine grater
Knife
Measuring jug
Spatula
Wire rack
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (Fan)/325°F/Gas mark 3.
Cut out a disc of baking parchment to line the bottom of the cake tin.
Brush the tin with olive oil before lining.
Add the flour, almonds, and salt to the bowl and combine using a fork.
In a large mixing bowl, add the caster sugar followed by the eggs and 100ml of oil. Whisk for 1 minute until thick and a pale yellow.
Add 60g of the Greek yoghurt and the vanilla and whisk again.
Grate the orange over the mix. You should be grating down to the pith.
Half the orange and squeeze the juice over the measuring jug. You should have approx 80ml.
Add the juice to the mix and whisk once more.
Add a third of the dry ingredients and fold into the mix using the spatula.
Repeat the above step with the remaining two thirds of dry ingredients.
Pour the mixture into the cake tin. Tap the tin on the worktop to release any air bubbles.
Pop into the oven and bake on a middle shelf in the oven for 45 minutes.
When the cake has finished baking, allow the tin to stand on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes to cool.
Turn the cake out onto the rack and remove the baking parchment.
Allow the cake to come fully to room temperature.
For the cream, add the remaining 110g of Greek yoghurt, double cream, icing sugar, and rose water to a clean bowl.
Whisk until thick and slightly stiff.
Spread the cream over the top of the cake.
Scatter with chopped pistachios and chocolate curls, if you wish.
Enjoy!
