Orange Butter Cake Recipe
ORANGE BUTTER CAKE:
This butter flavoured cake has a refreshing orange flavor. You can bake this cake in a 13 x 9 inch pan or Two (8-inch) round cake pans. For the 13 x 9 inch pan cover the cake with the Uncooked Citrus Butter Cream Filling and for the 8-inch layer cake fill layers with Cooked Citrus Butter Cream Filling. Recipes follow.
1 1/2 cups CAKE flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
8 Tablespoons butter, softened (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups sugar - divided
1/2 cup egg whites (about 4)
1/4 cups egg yolks (about 4)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 Tablespoons grated orange zest
Orange-Marmalade Glaze (for top of round layer cake)
Candied orange Threads (optional)
Citrus Butter Cream Filling (for a sheet cake)
Cooked Citrus Butter Cream Filling to fill (round layer cake)
Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans OR a 13 x 9-inch pan. Or grease and flour and line bottom of pans with greased parchment paper for easier removal.
Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder, and sift them together twice. Set aside.
Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until it is smooth and creamy. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar and beat until the mixture is well blended. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they begin to foam. Then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until the whites are stiff but moist; set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks to break them up, then add the orange juice and orange zest, and continue to beat until the mixture is pale and thick. Add the egg yolks to the butter-sugar mixture and mix gently until blended--it will look slightly curdled. Sift the flour mixture over and fold it in. Scoop up the beaten whites, drop them on top of the batter, and gently fold them in until there are no streaks of unblended white.
Pour into the prepared pan or pans and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.
Spread the sheet cake with Citrus butter Cream Filling OR, if you have made round layers, fill them with Cooked Citrus Butter Cream Filling, then frost with the remaining Butter Cream OR with Orange Marmalade Glaze. Sprinkle the cake with Candied Orange Threads, if you wish.
UNCOOKED CITRUS BUTTER CREAM FILLING:
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted if lumpy
Pinch of salt
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
Combine the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl, and beat for several minutes, until the mixture is very pale and thick. Add 4 Tablespoons of the butter and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and grated orange rind, then add the remaining butter a Tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. If the butter cream begins to separate, beat in 1 or 2 more Tablespoons butter. Cover tightly and refrigerate until needed. You will have enough to fill an 8-inch three layer cake or sheet cake. Makes about 1 cup.
COOKED CITRUS BUTTER CREAM FILLING:
Silken and rich--the most refined of all butter creams. This takes more time than the preceding uncooked butter cream.
1/2 cup milk
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted if lumpy (Icing/Powdered sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
16 Tablespoons butter (1 cup)
Scald the milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan. While the milk is heating combine the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl, and beat vigorously until blended and smooth. Slowly pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a spoon. (Don't stir with a whisk or rotary beater, which would create a foamy layer on top of the sauce and prevent you from seeing the consistency underneath.) Pour the mixture into the saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. DO NOT BOIL. You can test by putting your finger in - it should feel very hot, and you will also see wisps of steam rising. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and orange rind, then beat until the mixture is cool; you can hasten this step by beating with the pan in a bowl of ice, if you wish.
When cool, begin beating in the butter by Tablespoon bits, beating after each addition until smooth. If it begins to separate or has a curdled look, beat well with an electric mixer and it will smooth out. Cover and refrigerate until needed. You will have enough to fill a 9-inch three layer cake. Halve the recipe if you wish to fill a 8 or 9-inch two layer cake. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
ORANGE MARMALADE GLAZE:
A sparkling glaze with a pleasant tartness. Spread while warm glaze over any angel food, sponge, or chiffon cake.
1 small, bright-skinned orange
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted if lumpy
Chop the orange fine (pick out the seeds) either with a knife or in a food processor; don't overprocess, it should not be a puree. Combine with the water and granulated sugar in a small, sturdy pan, and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the water has almost entirely evaporated -- about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add the butter and confectioners' sugar, and stir until thoroughly blended. Use while still warm, or reheat if it has cooled. Makes about 1 cup.
CANDIED ORANGE THREADS:
Use this candied fruit peel to garnish any forsted cake, or simply place it on and around an unfrosted cake, and serve a few "threads" with each slice.
3/4 cup sugar- divided
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup firmly packed orange threads (see Note)
NOTE: Strips of orange peel, both white and orange parts, cut into pieces 1 1/2 inches long and 1/16 inch wide.
Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring once or twice to mix. Let boil for 1 minute, then add the orange threads, separating them with a fork. Boil, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until the syrup begins to turn a slightly caramel color around the edges of the pan.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup sugar onto a 16-inch strip of waxed paper. Lift the threads out of the hot syrup with a fork and drop them in the sugar. Toss and turn the threads to separate them and coat them with the sugar. They cool almost immediately, and are ready for use. Store, covered airtight, for up to several weeks.
Candied Lemon or Grapefruit Threads. Substitute lemon peel or grapefruit peel for the orange peel. Makes about 1 cup.
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