Disholicious

For the past two weeks, I’ve been daydreaming about cake. It could be because I knew my birthday was coming up. Okay, it was because my birthday was coming up. I flipped through recipe after recipe thinking about all of the creations I could make. Bill told me, “You know, you don’t have to make your own birthday cake.” That’s true, but I love baking and any excuse I have to do it, I’ll take it. Besides, I have so many great recipes to try.

I decided to go with this orange almond cake with orange blossom buttercream and no one was disappointed. It’s a moist cake with a delicate orange flavor and the orange blossom buttercream has a subtle floral note with the orange blossom water, but it’s not overpowering and it doesn’t come across like perfume. My brother is usually not a big fan of floral notes in baked goods and even he enjoyed this cake.

I will definitely make this again. It came together so well and it’s appearance was so lovely. Everyone complimented it. This cake is perfect for a birthday or maybe even an afternoon tea or mother’s day. I hope you give it a try. You won’t regret it.

ORANGE ALMOND CAKE WITH ORANGE BLOSSOM BUTTERCREAM

Serves: 12 – 16

Orange Almond Cake:

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 and 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

2 egg whites 3 eggs

1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

1 and 1/2 cups full fat plain yogurt

1 tablespoon powdered sugar, optional garnish

3 tablespoons sliced almonds, optional garnish

edible flowers, optional garnish

Orange Blossom Buttercream:

1 cup butter

4 and 1/4 cup powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water

 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then lightly grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. To begin preparing the cake, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and set it aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter, sugar, and oil at medium low speed until the mixture is smooth, about 2-3 minutes of mixing. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, orange zest, egg whites, and the eggs and mix until incorporated. Add the orange juice and mix until smooth. Add the flour mixture in three separate additions, alternating with the plain yogurt, until both have been added and the batter just becomes smooth.

Evenly distribute the cake batter between the three pans. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans and setting them on a wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare the buttercream, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth, then add the milk, vanilla extract, and orange blossom water and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the icing between the cake layers and then sprinkle the top of the cake with the sliced almonds and powdered sugar. Garnish with edible flowers and serve.

 

Recipe by Adventures in Cooking by Eva Kosmas Flores